My Season 8 Part 2
by asdfghjklasdfghjklasdfghjkl
Summary: This is a continuation from the first 11 episodes that can be found in a seperate story. They follow straight after Chosen and are my view on how the Buffy phenomenon could have continued. Give it a shot, i hope you enjoy it.
1. Episode 12: Chapter 1

Buffy the Vampire Slayer  
Season 8, Episode 12  
Old Wounds  
Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with Buffy the Vampire Slayer or the Buffyverse, I am just a fan.)

Summary: While out on a solo patrol Buffy comes across the man Rona and Amalia encountered months ago who sent a rather gruesome message to the Slayers and he offers Buffy some insight into Faith's new dream catcher tattoo. Hector and Amy plan to stop the training of the newbie Slayer by casting a spell of Buffy's High School Diary and when Alicia and Kate go snooping to find out their fearless leaders deep dark secrets, old and _long_ dead faces arrive in Cleveland.

Extra: If you're only just clicking onto this story now and are confused as to why I've began writing a season on episode 12, I haven't. Episodes 1-11 can be found in a separate story that you'll find in my profile. Please let your curiosity overload and check it out.

Nicholas sat at his desk in his room on the fifth floor. He sat tapping his pen against a brown file with his head being held up by his other hand. His sunglasses were perched on the window sill; the lenses reflected the sunset gleam of the Cliffside that his room faced. It was that time when he was due to make a report to Wolfram & Hart about the progress of their investment in the Slayers. However his mind was supposed to be filled with events that had taken place in the manor since the scoobies had moved in, but his mind was focused completely on the thought of a single scooby in particular. Since his conversation with Cordelia when they were rescuing Chris from jail Nicholas hadn't been able to think of anything or anyone other than Buffy. Her walk, her smell, her eyes, her hair, her…everything. And so as he sat at his desk, ready and prepared to write his report, with a smoothly sharpened #2 pencil, he couldn't think of a thing to write.  
He'd never been in love before, never thought a person of his stature and employment was capable of…_love_, only lust. When he began living with the Slayer in the beginning that's what he thought it was, lust. He'd had sexual partners before, women and men, some to get ahead in business (becoming a liaison to the senior partners of Wolfram & Hart is a dirty job) and others so he could feel something other than the cold. His belief about sex was that it didn't matter who it was with, only that it was done well.  
He threw his perfectly sharpened pencil at the wall and folded the file in half; he knew he wasn't going to get anything other than the title onto the paper that night. He shook his head so as to shake his thoughts from his mind, '_just get in a good screw and you'll be fine…or a cold shower_' he thought. To distract himself he thought a few hours with a good book would do the trick. He got up from his seated position and grabbed his deep dark blue-lensed sunglasses from the window sill and headed toward the library.  
He arrived on the third floor and found himself gazing at Buffy's door. He imagined knocking on it and involving himself in casual conversation with her but they had only exchanged words about business and Slaying, she'd suspect something was different and he couldn't have that. He got to the entrance hall and headed toward the library. It was still and quiet, no sounds but those of his own creation. He decided a little non-fiction light reading was the book for him and picked out a massive encyclopaedia on demonic vegetation and amphibian hybrids. He placed it under is arm as he headed back to his room.  
When he found himself in the entrance hall he found Buffy in a leather jacket, jeans and boots. "Going out?" he asked.

"Not that it's any of your business, but yeah," Buffy sniped as she turned to look at him. She was so…defeated. Her hair was lifeless and fell lazily onto her shoulders, her emerald green eyes had become dark and tired and she'd lost weight. Since Buffy got back from Wolfram & Hart last week she hadn't been the same, lots of people had noticed, even the girls had picked up on it when they stopped getting the usual destiny and responsibility speech in training. And then with Dana whom Buffy had devoted a lot of her time to, she'd lost her glow. Dana had made some progress of the last week; she'd recognised Buffy from her dreams and felt at ease when she was around. She was on edge at the sight of Faith, she must have picked up on what Faith's old…hobbies…were.

"Alone?" Nicholas asked.

"It's been a while since I went on patrol without a troop, gonna find out if I'm really rusty," Buffy acknowledged.

"Bit dangerous don't you think?" he asked.

"It's not like I haven't patrolled alone before Nick, I'll be fine, besides don't you have that report to right tonight?" she asked.

"Yes," he said. Buffy indicated the musty old book under his arm. "Progress is slow," he admitted.

"Right," Buffy said as she turned to leave the manor. Nicholas exhaled heavily as he turned to the main staircase and headed upstairs.

Buffy shut the door behind her and began walking. She didn't plan on when to turn corners and cross over roads but it just happened. She found herself at a cemetery she had avoided for months. Whenever it was her turn to take the girls out she'd always take them somewhere else. That cemetery reminded her of the time when seven of the slayers had been murdered and some dark magic took over Bethany's body and Faith was shot with some pink and purple light, the pentagram and Faiths' new dream catcher tattoo on her back…everything remained a mystery. Giles had researched some references to dream catchers but nothing relating to any pentagram or flux's of light came up. Rona had mentioned a man, he seemed to have dominance over the vampires but he hadn't been seen since.  
Buffy decided that night was the night that she would go back in, maybe she'd get lucky and she'd find this guy, or maybe unlucky depending on how you look at it. She walked through the cemetery and headed for the clearing at the back where she had found the crypt. She strolled past the graves checking for new burials but she couldn't see any.  
She stumbled through the trees of the clearing and spotted the familiar mausoleum. She began to remember the pentagram drawn in blood on the back of it with a dream catcher in its centre. She remembered the pentagram as it spun on the wall and Bethany's corpse shot Faith with purple light. She remembered the helpless feeling she had as she watched Faith bathed in electric purple light.  
She traced forward toward the crypt when the sound of rustling leaves, to strong to be the wind, caught her attention. She stopped and listened. She took out her stake from her back pocket and stood ready. "Okay, let's get this over with, show yourself," Buffy sounded. A group of around 13 vampires stepped out from behind trees and tall graves. They growled at the sight of the Slayer and their yellow eyes tore holes in her skin with their stare. "Oops," she added under her breath. However the vampires weren't advancing, they were just staring, in awe and fury. Buffy kept waiting for one to make the first move but they never did.

"Now, now boys and girls, we don't play with our food," called a cleanly shaven brown haired man in a suit who leaned heavily on a cane. Buffy turned to him and took in his appearance; he was as Rona had described the man from months ago. Buffy suddenly heard her gut say _'run'_. But as she looked for an escape root the only way was up, and unless you can learn flying from _The Slayer Handbook_, she was trapped. "So has my lucky day arrived? Are you her?" the man asked.

"Depends, who're you looking for?" Buffy asked.

"You've got the Stake, the blonde hair, the green eyes and the glow the demons speak of, you must be Miss Summers," the man sounded.

"And you are?" Buffy asked.

"I trust you got my message?" he asked ignoring Buffy's question.

"They were innocent girls!" Buffy sniped.

"Vampires were innocent once too, it was just the unfortunate choice of taking the alleyway as a short cut home that lead to their new state of mind my love," the man lectured. "So tell me, have the changes begun?" he asked. Buffy furrowed her brow in confusion. "I suppose not…but they will," he announced.

"What're you talking about?" Buffy asked.

"The woman? Brown hair, friskily attractive," the man said, "I went to great lengths to keep you away from this place."

"Yeah well when seven girls are murdered I'm not just gonna cower in fear," Buffy spat angrily.

"You would have been better off if you did-"

"Tell me about the tattoo," Buffy ordered.

"_Tattoo_? My dear you really don't have the foggiest as to what is going on under your feet do you?" the man and vampires chuckled. "He's coming, and now that she is too, it's going to get ugly, and you're right in the middle of it. Watch your step my dear, third times the charm," the man said before disappearing with a cloud of dark smoke and white flashes.

Buffy looked around at the advancing vampires. They grinned devilishly as they took more steps towards the Slayer. A bench was nearby, it hadn't been sat on for years but any wood would've done. One vampire got a little two excited and charged full force for Buffy, she tossed her stake at him and it caught him square in the chest, he was dust within seconds. She threw her fist in the bench and grabbed a wooden spike; broken on both ends. Buffy cut a bloody and dusty path through the vampires until only about 5 remained. She'd suffered a brain jolting punch to the temple and she knew that she would make mistakes if she tried to dust the remaining vamps. She sensed the strength in two of them and knew instantly they were not your everyday ordinary vampires, but the new special sun-resistant kind.  
She bolted and jumped and dodged and sliced her way through the graveyard with her, usually strong and vibrant but now flat and weak, hair acting as a tail for her head because of the speed she was running at.

She lost the vampires when she reached a coffee shop. The running blonde woman carrying a pointy stick caught the attention of some caffeinated customers. She keeled over and reclaimed her breath before heading back to the manor briskly.

Giles and Dawn had a long night of research ahead of them.

Kate knocked on Alicia's door and entered. Alicia's room was different than that of other Slayers in the manor, she'd packed her own bed sheets, added her own furniture; it was a replica of her old room back in _Golden Pines_. Alicia looked Kate up and down as she was fully dressed at that time of night. Kate watched Alicia toss her journal on the bed-side table. "What's up?" Alicia asked.

"Bored mostly," Kate replied.

"Why're you dressed, your patrol isn't until Wednesday afternoon," Alicia said puzzled.

"I know, I tried getting out and going solo but Andrew ratted me out to Mr. Giles," Kate sighed.

"Kate that's dangerous," Alicia warned.

"Oh grow a pair," Kate replied as she bit her lip and looked around the room.

"What're you looking for?" Alicia asked.

"Something to do," Kate murmured.

"Ooh!" Alicia sounded as she tossed the covers off of her, "We could play clue!"

Kate looked at her sternly and rolled her eyes.

**Yesterday, Wolfram & Hart, Cleveland, Ohio**

Amy sat at her desk twiddling her fingers. She'd been in a lull since she heard of the boys' failure on Halloween. Wolfram & Hart was quiet that day, no big cases, no sacrifices, not even trading virgins to the Ethros demons to possess. Just boring legal stuff that she didn't care for or understand.  
Amy didn't think if herself as...evil. Just misunderstood. She'd had her run ins with the dark magics, and they felt good, felt earned, felt hers. And her motto was you get out what you put in, and she thought she'd earned the powers she had…unlike Willow. Her powers were handed to her; she had it easy, the friends, the magic, the life. An idiot floating pencils would have felt Willow's power two years ago and then again a few months ago, but did anybody ever ask about Amy? The girl who had magic first? The girl who introduced Willow to the mystical opportunities the world had? No, they kissed the ground she walked on and Amy would rather drink battery acid than watch it any longer.  
She vowed she'd get her own back, someday.

She was startled out of her inner monologue when line 1 began ringing, "Hello?" Amy said picking up the phone. She said it tiredly as she had just finishing getting ready to head back to her overly expensive yet sucky apartment.

"Amy, could you come in here for a moment?" Hector said more like an order than a question.

"Right away sir," Amy replied. Amy came out from behind her desk and pushed open the double doors of the C.E.O of the Cleveland branch of Wolfram & Hart. Hector sat relaxed with his feet on his desk. "Can I get you a coffee or something?" Amy asked.

"Amy, I've just received a report from Ian the mail man about the missing Harpy Venom from the basement store room, you wouldn't know anything about that would you?" Hector asked.

"No sir not a thing," Amy lied.

"Huh, well that's funny," Hector said as he picked up a remote from his desk and pushed a button causing a screen at the back of the office to flash to life. A security camera video of Amy breaking into the basement supply room and casting a spell to summon the venom appeared on the screen. It floated from the shelf into her hands. She then teleported out of the room. Hector hit pause on the remote.

"I can explain," Amy started.

"Tell me Miss Madison, do you enjoy your job here?" he asked.

"Y-yes sir, very much, it's rewarding a-and stable and-"

"Well one thing I don't tolerate in my offices are liars."

"Sir, I can replace the venom, I know it isn't easy to come by but I will get it back to you-"

"Ahh, I don't care about the venom," Hector said as he got up from his chair and moved around to the front of his desk and sat down on the edge, "on your résumé I don't recall seeing _Witch_."

"I didn't think it worth mentioning," Amy stammered, "I wanted to get this job because I knew I'd be good at it, not because I have power-"

"Power indeed. Teleporting is a high level skill Amy. So I began to check into your background and I found some interesting details," Hector said as he held a brown file. Amy gulped. "Attended Sunnydale High School class of '99 but never graduated or heard of again until 2002 when you were arrested for robbing a liquor store, you served six months before you applied for a job here…tell me…about Sunnydale," Hector asked in the same tone that made it not sound like a request at all. When Amy learned that Willow and pals were in Cleveland too she realised her life was about to get rocky again.

"Just the normal high school experience," Amy lied.

"Amy I've heard stories about the things that go on in the High Schools of Cleveland, you expect me to believe Sunnydale was any different, I will not tolerate any more lies," he said with a dark twinge in his eyes.

"Yes sir," Amy complied.

"Now, I'm going to need your help with a little spell," Hector said.

**Present Day**

After numerous immature time killing suggestions from Alicia, Kate reached to Alicia's bedside table for Alicia's journal. Alicia darted across the room and snatched the journal up before Kate could grab it. "What're you doing?" Alicia asked.

"Jeez I was only looking," Kate defended.

"Yeah well don't alright? That's private," Alicia told.

"C'mon you've never let anybody see if before?" Kate disapproved.

"W-well I showed B-Buffy once when she found me," Alicia stammered.

"So our fearless leader is allowed to know your deepest secrets but not your friend?" Kate manipulated.

"Well Buffy said that she never let anybody see her diary when she used to journal," Alicia said.

"Wait, Buffy has a diary?" Kate said with a widening grin.

"She said she used to," Alicia said.

"Does she still have it?" Kate said excitedly.

"I dunno, I doubt she carried her high school diary out of Sunnydale with her," Alicia persuaded.

"If it were you, would you have?" Kate asked already knowing the answer, "c'mon I say it's time we get a little dirt on miss high and mighty," Kate grinned.

**Yesterday, Wolfram & Hart, Cleveland, Ohio**

Hector slid a book bound in a strange material across the desk; it was opened to a page dedicated to one single spell. Amy was told to pick it up and she began reading. "What exactly do you want me to do here?" Amy said.

"I think you already know, the spell is old so I had the mystics do a little tweaking in places," Hector announced.

"Sir this spell is way out of my league; there is no way I can pull this off," Amy said in disbelief as she read what the spell entailed.

"You have the full mystics of Wolfram & Hart at your disposal, the ingredients have been collected, we just need you to use the power you obviously have," Hector encouraged.

"Even if I manage to pull this off, how do we even know somebody is going to go looking for it?" Amy asked.

"Curiosity is a human's main weakness," he said.

**Present Day**

Kate and Alicia opened the door to Buffy's empty and dark room. Kate switched on the light and began rooting through Buffy's draws. "Kate I don't know about this, if somebody started reading my journal I'd be pretty pissed, and this is Buffy we're talking about," Alicia warned.

"Relax," Kate began as she gave up on the draws and headed for the wardrobe, "she's out on patrol and she'll never know we were here- **Bingo!**" Kate announced as she found a box of Buffy's high school diary and yearbook. She opened the cover and found many variations of Buffy 'hearts' 'A' written on the inside cover.

"Wait, A? Stands for Angel right? That guy we all went to last week? The vampire? **They Dated! **_**Buffy dated a VAMPIRE!**__" _Alicia asked frantically.

"Leash! Cool it or somebody might walk in!" Kate sounded under her breath.

"Sorry, it's just, a vampire? I mean I thought they were _all_ evil," Alicia said.

"Looks like miss squeaky clean got her naughty on back in the day," Kate smirked. She turned to the first page and began to read aloud.

_September 1997_

'_It's starting again. The dreams I mean, I haven't had them since mom and me left L.A, but last night was intense, blood and candles and fire and did I mention the blood? I started school today, I thought I'd escaped from it all but instead of worrying if I had the right nail polish on I should have been worrying about the dead guy in the locker. Vampire, no questions. And then the librarian tells me he knows I'm the Slayer and this kid 'Zander' or whatever over hears our conversation and before I know it my being the Slayer is in the school fricken newspaper. Willow's cool though, definitely friend material. So I go to this club, The Bronze, to meet up with Cordelia when this yummy guy, let's go with 'A', shows up all cryptic and starts talking about something called The Harvest? He bailed before I could ask but he gave me the wiggins. So Willow's at the bronze and we get into talking and I stupidly told her to seize the moment, which she does, and ends up getting herself attacked by a vampire, in a cemetery no less. So I play the hero card and head after her, I've never had much trouble with a vampire before, I mean they aren't fun but, this guy, goes by the name of __**Luke**__ totally wiped the floor with me. If it wasn't for my necklace I may not have made it out of the cemetery. But I guess I was lucky, another vamp, blonde schoolgirl wannabe? Took Willow and Zander's friend Jese. I'm going to have to find him tomorrow, Luke and the blonde disappeared. I'll see if I can pick up the trail in the morning.  
Look's like burning down the gym isn't going to look so bad anymore, mom's going to kill me._

Authors Note: Thank you to; Boris Yeltin, Laby Anne Boleyn, An anonymous reviewer, calilily and Jeremy Shane who reviewed my last chapter in the first part of My Season 8 and big thanks to everybody else who reviewed all the other chapters too.

So, there it was, the first chapter of the 12th episode of my season 8. Thank you to the people who subscribed to author alert so they could continue to read my story. Next chapter should be up soon.

Thank you for reading:)

xx


	2. Episode 12: Chapter 2

Buffy the Vampire Slayer  
Season 8 episode 12  
Old Wounds  
Chapter 2

Buffy returned onto the private roads leading to the manor and dragged herself up the street. Her body ached from the cemetery fight but she'd been in a lot worse shape. She usually never felt that bad after a hard rough and tumble but even she knew she wasn't herself. She never got hungry, never, she lived off the occasional smoothy and she wasn't sleeping because of nightmares and dreams of Angel and Spike. She admitted she missed them, both of them, but she told herself she would grieve them, grieve their relationship and what they had and move on, to something different and new and exciting.  
She was about to enter when Faith and Giles exited the manor with the mission of finding Buffy. Giles exhaled in relief while Faith gave Buffy her usual unreadable stare. "Buffy, you're alright," Giles breathed.

"Aren't I usually?" Buffy asked.

"Well-yes-I," Giles stammered.

"Whoa," Faith sounded at the growing bruise on Buffy's cheek, "something get a little to hands on," Faith asked.

"Somethings," Buffy corrected.

"Come inside," Giles ushered her into the manor where he sat her on the couch. She sat down reluctantly.

"Where are the girls?" Buffy asked at the surprisingly empty entrance hall.

"Buffy, its 1 am, they're all in bed," Giles replied.

"I'll go wake red, she's better with the med stuff," Faith said. Buffy smiled glad to have Faith gone for a moment or two so her and her watcher could speak privately. When Buffy didn't protest in the waking of Willow he knew something was wrong. They watched as Faith walked up the main stairs and turned down the 1st floor corridor.

"What happened tonight Buffy?" Giles asked.

"I went to the cemetery, the one were Bethany and Joy and Keeley and the others where killed, and Rona described a man, and Faith got hit with that energy thing?" Buffy rambled.

"Yes yes, what happened?" Giles asked trying to hurry the conversation along.

"I went to the crypt where the dream catcher was? And he was there, the man, and when Rona said he seemed to have control over the vamps, she wasn't kidding, I mean even the new ones Giles," Buffy told.

"Why did you go alone Buffy? You could have been hurt far worse than a bruise-"

"Can we save the watcher lecture for later?" Buffy interrupted.

"Well what did he say, the man I mean," Giles asked.

"He knew me, well knew _of _me, he asked if the _changes_ had begun," Buffy told.

"Changes, what changes? In whom?" Giles asked.

"In Faith," Buffy replied.

"In Faith?" Giles repeated puzzled.

"That's what he said, I mean I haven't noticed anything different but he said we will. Giles there's something else," Buffy said timidly.

"What is it?" Giles asked.

"He said, he said _he's coming_ and that now that _she_ is too things are gonna get ugly and that we are right in the middle on it," Buffy told.

"Something's not right Buffy, this is the second time we've heard of a coming _he _and _she_, tonight from the mystery man and the other from the Troxen a few weeks back," Giles replied. Buffy thought of telling Giles about her dream when she met the beautiful dark haired woman who informed her she was coming and that if she didn't do _something_ again that she wouldn't get there fast enough, but Giles was dealing with enough.

_Another time_ she thought. "I asked about the tattoo, y'know the dream catcher? From the tomb? On Faith's back? And he laughed at me and told me I had _no _clue what is going on, which is true, but-"

"But Buffy I have researched into Faith tattoo, tried every mystical method I can to see if it has some sort of magical source but the results all say the same thing, it's nothing mystical at all, just ink in skin," Giles interrupted. Buffy began to remember the night Faith got the tattoo and shuddered in fear.

"Well this guy, whoever he is, knows otherwise," Buffy added.

"I'll begin research immidietly, perhaps you can give a better description of the man than Rona?" Giles asked.

"Sure," Buffy said.

Buffy was about to follow Faith up the stairs to see what was taking her and Willow so long but as she reached the stairs a shattering crash echoed throughout the manor. Buffy's head turned swiftly to a figure she couldn't believe she was seeing. The glass from the huge curtain draped window was littered like rain along the wooden floor and the curtain itself lay like a rag over the furniture. The man growled indicating a vampire but his face was hidden in shadow. However Buffy didn't need to hear the growl to know he was a vampire, she knew from first glance at his silhouette.  
Giles came crashing out of the closed door corridor and took in the crouching vampire on the entrance hall floor. The vampire stood up revealing a familiar symbol on his head which lead Giles to believe he was seeing a ghost. "Luke," Buffy echoed.

"Slayer," Luke rumbled.

"B-but you're dead, I-I killed you," Buffy stammered.

"Obviously not well enough," Luke growled. "Fooled me once Slayer," Luke sounded.

"Yeah almost seven years ago!" Buffy asserted.

Luke ran at the Slayer at full force. The crashing window seemed to have caught the attention of the Slayers as the first floor-landing overlooking the entrance hall was littered with them. Faith and Willow were among them. Buffy bounded from the stairs and back flipped right over Luke's head. She landed skilfully and thrust her boot heel into his back. He stumbled forward before swirling around with his fist and catching the Slayer in the jaw. His unusual but familiar strength sent her hurtling through the air and she crashed onto the floor. Faith leaped over the banister and landed forcefully to the ground. She charged at the vampire who had hurled the original Slayer across the floor and threw a punch which caught him in the head. She threw her other hand to his stomach and he keeled over. She dragged his head to her knee and they collided with shattering force. He stumbled backward and Faith scissor kicked her legs so they collided with his chest and he was sent shooting into the back wall. Buffy had witnessed the whole thing and marvelled at Faith's strength and skill but also feared for what it meant.  
Faith was about to go at him but Buffy called to her. "Faith, no!" she shouted, "I have to do this," Buffy said.

"You know this guy?" Faith asked as she wiped her face free of hair.

"He's an old friend," Buffy said as she shot from the floor and got to her feet. Luke had done the same and the two headed for each other. Buffy ducked under his first attack, then dodged his second, and blocked his third. She sent a shattering blow to his shoulder and he was sent shooting into the dining table. She grabbed the pencil from the notepad by the phone and walked quickly toward him. However he rebounded from the floor so quickly that Buffy couldn't see his hand shoot for her throat, he gripped it tightly and lifted her from the floor.

"Who's the moron now?" Luke beamed as he inclined his head toward her neck. Suddenly his dusty cold breath was gone from her skin and she was falling to the ground. Luke had been pried from her neck by Dana who sent him skidding along the floor. She rolled toward the pencil and shot up at his feet and caught him square in the chest. Luke made the familiar gurgle that all vampires did when they felt the earth shoot through their heart. Buffy raised her head just in time to see the vampire glow brightly before disappearing.  
Dana's eyes grew wide as the vampire disappeared. She began muttering and mumbling incoherently. Buffy rushed to her side.

"Dana?" Buffy said as she crouched opposite her.

"Not gone, gone but not gone, not right," Dana stammered.

"He's gone Dana, you saved me, thank you," Buffy admitted.

"Not gone there must be dust, but no dust, just bright, bright, still here," Dana said. She was about to hurl herself out the door but Buffy grabbed her by the arm. Dana threw a punch at Buffy but Buffy used her last ounces of strength to send Dana sliding along the floor toward Faith. Faith held Dana's arms behind her back.

"He's gone Dana, I promise, he's not coming back," Buffy told as she walked to the newest Slayer.

"Gone," Dana nodded.

"That's right," Buffy said. Faith felt Dana relax and let go of her arms. Dana headed toward the stairs and strolled up them completely relaxed as though the last five minutes never happened.

"I'll go make sure loony tunes gets to her room," Faith offered to Buffy, "show's over everybody, get your asses back to bed!" Faith called up to the girls who were cutting a path for Dana to pass through.

* * *

Some of the girls offered to help clean up but Buffy told them to go back to bed, she needed to discuss more of the night's events with her friends and watcher. They left the window as it was but Willow handed out brushes and the scoobies began clearing up the damage. "Giles, you wanna explain to me why one of the first vamps I dusted back in California is attacking our house in Ohio?" Buffy asked.

"So I was right, that was _The Vessel_?" Giles asked as he remembered the familiar symbol on the vampires head.

"In the flesh," Buffy replied.

"And what's with the whole light show?" Xander asked referring to how Luke didn't 'dust out'.

"I have no idea," Giles said.

"Wow can you believe the watchers council let this guy go?" Xander joked.

"Will? Any ideas?" Buffy asked.

"Not really, could be anybody, maybe somebody who survived Sunnydale and is holding a pretty big grudge?" Willow suggested.

"I point my fingers toward Amy," Xander chimed.

"No, even a witch of Amy's standard doesn't have the power to bring a vampire back from dusty hell," Willow said.

"Maybe she didn't do it alone, maybe she had help," Dawn said.

"Wolfram & Hart?" Buffy asked.

"Doubtful, Hector Pierce _is,_ for all intensive purposes, evil but why try to kill Buffy before even putting her to use?" Nicholas added.

"Putting me to use? Who the hell is Hector?" Buffy asked offended. Nicholas shot a look at Willow.

"Tabitha didn't tell you?" Nicholas asked.

"I was getting around to it in the way that I totally forgot," Willow smiled innocently. Nicholas exhaled.

"A few weeks ago Tabitha and I struck a deal with the Cleveland Branch of Wolfram & Hart that if they gave us Chris's bail money we would offer him…_your services_," Nicholas said. Buffy eyes grew wide in anger. "It was either that or risking the Troxen attacking Chris in the prison," Nicholas defended.

"Great," Buffy said sarcastically, "so Amy's out of the picture, any other suspects?"

"How bout' Miss Carter?" Dawn added.

"Who?" Buffy asked.

"My English teacher," Dawn clarified.

"Julie?" Xander asked loudly.

"You did stand her up Xand, I'd be pissed too. And with your tack record she's gotta be something more that human," Dawn jibed.

"No, how could she possibly know about _The Vessel_?" Giles asked.

"Maybe Harris got a little to sharing back at the store," Faith winked. Xander shuddered at the thought…no the smell of the hardware store.

"Oh yeah because that's a good conversation starter, _Hey when I was a sophomore in High School me and my friends killed a vampire in a club, his name was Luke, why don't you look him up?_" Xander said in a bad imitation of himself.

"However the vampire got back it wasn't of his own accord," Giles stated.

"Look's like I'm not gonna get to go back to bed huh?" Willow said before they threw their brushes to one-side and headed for a night of frustrating research.

* * *

Kate and Alicia read the page about Luke for hours, over and over, in a trance-like state. Reading aloud with emphasis on every word. The Diary glowed bright, just like Luke did back in the entrance hall when he was staked, and the girls turned the page like puppets on long strings.

_September 28__th__ 1997_

_Jesse's dead. Luke and the blond made him a vampire and Xander had to stake him at the bronze. Turns out 'Xander' is short for Alexander to I'm sorry for spelling your name wrong if you ever read this Xander. Anyway I stopped the Harvest, The Vessel, Luke, got a hefty stake through the heart and all is good._

_October 7__th__ 1997_

_Guess I spoke to soon. I tried out for cheerleading this week, I was made an understudy with Willow's friend Amy, Amy's cool…little weird but I can't discriminate against all things not normal. Weird things starting happening in school this week, one of the cheerleaders caught fire in a routine pep rally, she's okay now but it could've gotten bad if I hadn't dived on her with a banner. Then Cordelia went blind! I was walking across the quad when she just started driving her car out of the gate and into the road in Drivers Ed. Giles put two and two together and we're guessing Amy is some sort of witch. But in chem class when another cheerleader lost her mouth in the sense that there's just a patch of skin on her face where her mouth should be, Amy looked just as shocked as the rest of us. Giles and I are going to go see her mom after practice, turns out her mom was quite the cheerleader back in the day.

* * *

_

"This is pointless!" Willow complained as she finished yet another book in her pile. Daylight had creaked through the library windows about 10minutes ago and Willow was beginning to get exhausted.

"6 hours and all we've got it nada, zip and zilch," Xander sounded as he slammed his copy of _Vampiric Encounters in Mumbai_ against Willow's pile.

"Maybe it was just a fluke?" Dawn suggested but received a few glaring looks.

"Let's call it a day guys, Dawn you should be getting ready for school," Buffy said.

"I still have to go to school? I've been up all night!" Dawn complained.

"I'll let Chase pick you up in his car," Buffy offered.

"Bye," Dawn said as she ran out of the room and up the stairs.

The group dispersed throughout the manor. Buffy headed to the kitchen for something small to eat, Willow decided she'd head to the magic shop to see if she could find Amy, Giles went to his office, Faith went to the basement and Xander went to work. He and Willow took Giles's car into the city and split up. Willow headed toward the magic shop. She pushed open the door and was glad to see no cheesy Halloween decorations like last time. She was placing her order to Ernie, the fearful shop keeper, when she spotted some protective charms and counter spells on the back shelf that tweaked her interest. She skipped through the shop and fiddled with the amulets and necklaces. She picked up a truth crystal blessed by mute Chinese nuns and headed toward the counter. As she turned she bumped into a woman carrying a bag of supplies and the two dropped there items all over the floor. Willow looked into the older woman's' face. "Mrs Madison I'm so sorry I'm such a klutz," Willow said.

"It's quite alright Willow," Mrs Madison replied. A light bulb seemed to switch on in each of the womens mind just who the other person was.

Still on all fours picking her items up Willow said, "wait, but Buffy, you're, how're you?" Willow stuttered. Willow suddenly found herself being carried by a green light into a shelf which she crashed into heavily and rolled over into the main part of the store.

"Not again!" Ernie shouted before cowering behind the register. Mrs Madison's eyes were black as she stepped over the shelf, and stood in front of Willow.

"You and you're little friends sent me to that…place…for three years, watching stupid students waste their youth complaining about acne and boys, then came the snake, then the fire, then I was gone, but somehow I'm back and it's time you felt the hell I endured!" Mrs Madison spat, "Cursohars marloran ratet." Willow found herself struggling to breathe, she clutched at her neck but she felt her innards wretching, her eyes popping, her legs shaking. Willow felt herself slipping, slipping through her body, the pain faded to a dull ache, her eyes began failing but she caught a glimpse of her hair turning from red, to white…and to black.

Authors Note: thank you to: Boris Yeltsin, Kaika-sama, Laby Anne Boleyn, Jeremy Shane and my biggest fan, e m. l b h. You're reviews mean the world to me.

Thank you to: Brokendreams03, B5B7, Jeremy Shane, babes2103 and Hherne for adding me and my stories to their alerts.

Next Chapter will be up soon, let me know what you thought of this one, tell me what you liked and didn't like and whatnot and again, thank you.

xx


	3. Episode 12: Chapter 3

Buffy the Vampire Slayer  
Season 8 Episode 12  
Old Wounds  
Chapter 3

Willow's eyes darkened, her iris swam in a black lake of exasperation. The ache and pain from the blast Mrs Madison sent at her oozed away. Mrs Madison's eyes cleared at the sight of the being in front of her. She stepped back, weary of her power, it filled the room like a mist that you could taste. Willow rose from the floor strong and empowered with her black hair trailing down her face. "_Irititae_," Willow chimed. All of a sudden roots spurted up from the floor restraining the other witch in place. Mrs Madison struggled, she sent fire from her eyes flaming down the roots but they only gripped tighter. "What did you do to me?" Willow asked.

"You fear power, strength and weakness too, my spell brought that out in you," Mrs Madison admitted innocently, "didn't work out so well for me but there you go, why couldn't you be afraid of spiders or something?-"

"Stop talking," Willow commanded. Mrs Madison's tongue was ripped from her mouth. She squealed in pain. "That was a nifty spell, I'm more interested in how after seven years in…wherever…you're suddenly back," Willow said. Mrs Madison tried to talk, humming and grunting echoed throughout the magic shop. "Oh," Willow smiled. Mrs Madison's tongue shot from the ground and into her mouth.

"I don't know, I remember fire, lots of it, and then I'm waking up in an alley in god knows where!" Mrs Madison cried.

"Hmm," Willow hummed. "Tell me Catherine, what is it you fear?" Willow asked. Mrs Madison eyes fluttered to the ground so as not to show the incredibly powerful wicca what she feared most. "Cat got you tongue?" Willow asked as she ripped her tongue from her mouth once more. "Guess we'll find out," Willow winked.

* * *

Xander was just about to get into the Hardware store to start his shift when the running and screaming men and women found his ears. "Willow," Xander whispered, fearful that something else from there past had come back. He arrived at the magic shop and saw a dark haired woman with her back turned wearing Willow's clothes. He then found the face of Mrs Madison and his jaw hung in shock. Partly for the fact the woman who switched bodies with her own daughter seven years ago was now being restrained by a tree in Ohio but more the fact that Dark Willow was back and in full swing.

"Cursohars marloran ratet," Willow echoed. Xander watched as Catherine Madison disappeared from sight and became a white mist. The white mist sucked something from Willow's chest and her hair became its usual shade of red. Willow wobbled to the floor and the mist shot toward Ernie the Shopkeepers bowling trophy. Xander hurried to Willow's side. She buried her head in his jacket shaking like a leaf.

* * *

"We have a problem," Xander said as he crashed into the library supporting Willow on his shoulder.

"God, Will," Buffy said as she shot from her chair and to Willow's side. She helped Willow to a seat next to Giles. "What happened?" Buffy asked.

"Mrs Madison, s-she attacked me at the magic shop," Willow said defeated and angry.

"The body swapping witch?" Giles asked.

"**Amy's Mom?**" Buffy asked wide eyed.

"The one and only," Xander said as he poured Willow some water.

"Where is she now?" Giles asked, "a powerful vengeful witch like that could do a lot of damage."

"It's…taken care of," Xander said.

"Taken care of how?" Buffy asked with a shifty look between her two best friends. Xander and Willow looked to one-another and began telling the story of how Mrs Madison brought out Willow's dark side and how Willow sent her into wherever her biggest fear was. Willow left out the gruesome details of ripping out her tongue and whatnot.

Buffy began, "so…is she…did you-"

"I didn't kill her, just sent her somewhere," Willow cut in.

"I'm sorry Will, I had to ask," Buffy said.

Faith burst into the Library beaten up and bleeding sporting a nasty axe. She threw the bloodied axe over the counter and looked the foursome in the eye.

"Oh it just gets's better and better," Buffy whispered, "What happened?"

"Doin my patrol down on Morrison Street? Dusted a few new vamps when I turn into an alley and this big ass green horned demon is bustin' up and torchin' the computer store. Called himself Moloch?" Faith informed. The four scoobies exchanged a worried look.

"Moloch the Corrupter?" Giles said as he took off his glasses and rose from his seat.

"I guess," Faith replied.

"And you took him out solo?" Xander asked.

"Yeah, not that he didn't put up a fight," Faith said as she pointed to her cuts and busted lip, "but he got the pointy end of the axe. What happened to red?"

"Long story," Willow said.

Buffy began remembering her fight with Moloch in the tech warehouse, his strength and size was to much for her, if he wasn't stupider than a toaster she wouldn't have made it out of their alive and now that Faith took him on solo and walked out with a few cuts and bruises she began thinking the man from the cemetery was right, something wasn't right with Faith. Buffy chanced a glance at Giles who seemed to be thinking the same thing.

"So we gear up, if these old friends are attacking the streets we can't sit here reading useless books," Xander said.

"Xander's right, we keep fighting until we find a lead," Buffy agreed.

"Buffy, when was the last time you slept?" Willow asked.

"Haven't had the time, but I'm good," Buffy replied.

Xander began, "Buff maybe you should sit this one out and get some-"

"I just gotta run to my room, get some weapons and stuff and we'll regroup out front," Buffy said as she bolted from the library. She reached the third floor corridor and headed down the hall to her room. She was about to twist her hand around the doorknob when she heard voices from inside. She curiously pressed her ear against the wood and listened.

'_The School Talent Show. I loved it back at Hemery, the girls and I would sing the newest song at the time and always come in first. But now it just seems lame. Cordelia's totally into it though. Me, Will and Xander where in the auditorium keeping Giles company after the troll Snyder roped him into running the thing. So us being us decided to poke fun, except Snyder heard the whole thing and now we're the newest addition to the Sunnydale talent show. Willow plays piano but she's stage shy, Xander has as much talent in the arts as a spoon and unless I slay a demon or Vampire on stage we've come up with zip. According to Giles, Morgan and his Dummy are the favourite to win. Maybe he'll let us stand in the back and…sway…or something.'_

Buffy listened to the hypnotic voices of Kate and Alicia retelling the story of her Sophomore year talent show, they repeated it over and over and a white glow shined under the gap in the door. She hadn't realised how long it had been since she'd been in her own room. She was angry that Alicia and Kate had skipped school just to read Buffy's diary and so she forcefully thrust her hand toward the doorknob to burst into the room. The door was locked, even as she tugged on it with her Slayer strength she couldn't get it to budge. She back away in frustration. She released a breath she didn't know she was holding and raised her leg. As her shoe collided with the door it glowed red and Buffy was sent flying at the opposite wall. She hit her head hard and began drifting into unconsciousness.

* * *

"Yoohoo!" said a musky, deep and familiar voice. Buffy's eyes fluttered open and she felt a light kick to the stomach. "Y'alright sugar?" the voice asked.

"Huh?" Buffy said still on the floor with her eyes closed.

"Y'lookin good Slayer," the familiar voice said, "little thin but hell I aint complainin'." Buffy opened her eyes and lifted her head. She found a short man with staring brown eyes in a black suit and tie with a red shirt. He wasn't a man at all in fact.

"Sid?" Buffy asked.

* * *

"What's takin' B so long?" Faith asked.

"Maybe she fell asleep," Xander suggested. A loud bang echoed from up the stairs. "Or not," Xander said as he and Faith exchanged a look before bolting toward the disturbance. They turned into the third floor corridor and found Buffy hoisting a short dark skinned figure against the wall.

"A dummy?" Faith scrutinised.

"Sid!" Xander exclaimed.

"What's going on?" Willow asked as she too heard the noise. "Sid!" she exclaimed too.

"Easy on the wood tutts!" Sid protested.

"What the hell is happening? Who's Sid?" Faith asked.

"Sid the Dummy from High School," Xander clarified.

"I prefer puppet FYI," Sid said.

"You're dead, you died," Buffy said.

"I know, it was fun while it lasted but it got old quick…and now I'm back," he sang.

"Why here?" Willow asked.

"Dunno doll, just woke up here," he said, "and found this one unconscious, forgive me for being a Good Samaritan."

"You were unconscious?" Willow asked.

"Yeah, tried to get in my room but got hit with something," Buffy explained. Willow, Xander and Faith turned their attention to the glow under the door.

"What's goin' on in there?" Faith asked.

"I'm thinkin' somebody put a hex on my diary and that's how our old…friends…are paying us a visit," Buffy said.

"Can ya' put me down? You're stretchin the tie!" Sid complained. Buffy released her hold and he fell to the floor with a thump.

"This is _so_ cool," Faith whispered. Willow walked over to the door and as she was about to put her hand around the doorknob it glowed faintly red. She could just about make out the voices of Kate and Alicia from inside the room.

"Defiantly mystical, but different magic to the one from inside, somebody doesn't want you getting in there," Willow told.

"Can you break it?" Buffy asked.

"I can try," Willow said. Willow stood in front of the door and took in a deep breath. She closed her eyes and when she opened them again they were black. She flexed her palms at the door and it flickered red. She pushed her palms closer and closer but the red glow only got brighter. Since Willow's spell on the Slayers whenever she did the big mojo her hair either remained as it was or turned white, but as she found herself battling with the door her roots began to darken. Buffy and Xander exchanged worried looks. They where about to tell Willow to stop but she shot her hands on the door, her palms punched a hole in the shield and her hair was completely dark. The hole began to get bigger and bigger, winds and drafts roared down the hallway and trailed Faith's hair all over her face. The veins in Willows face began to become apparent.  
Xander grabbed Willow by the shoulders and pulled her back as hard as he could. He pulled her to the ground where she landed shaking and hysterical in his arms. Buffy grabbed her mouth in horror. "What's happening to me?" Willow sobbed.

* * *

Back down in the entrance hall Willow was sitting with a cup of hot tea in her lap with Giles sitting on the arm of the chair. Xander, Buffy and Faith took the couch while Sid stayed standing. "Giles what's happening?" Willow asked.

"Honestly? Whatever Mrs Madison did to you it left you scared, brought _'Dark Willow_' closer to the surface and its going to be hard to beat it back down again," Giles replied bluntly.

"No need to sugar-coat it G," Faith said.

Buffy's gaze stayed lingering on the burning fireplace. Faith could sense something was bothering her, not just because of the Slayer connection but because you don't survive as long as Faith did doing what she'd done without knowing how to read people. Faith gave her fellow Slayer her famous concerned stare.

"So what do we know?" Xander asked.

"Well so far you've dealt with _The Vessel_, Catherine Madison, Moloch and Sid the Dummy," Giles said.

"**Puppet!**" Sid protested.

"Hold it, so Alicia and Kate are upstairs reading Buffy's High School diary behind a super shield probably conjured by the person who mojo'd the diary in the first place? I say I get my power tools and go all DIY, who needs magic," Xander joked.

Willow began, "the shield will work on anyone or anything that tries to get into the protected space, Buffy only kicked a door and she was knocked unconscious, if you drill through the wall-"

"Got it, not such a good, but what then, sooner or later those girls are going to turn the page and something else is gonna come looking for a little payback," Xander said.

"Well the girls are obviously reading it chronologically so think back, what came after Sid, who did Buffy face next? If we can find out what's coming next we may be able to find the source of all this," Giles said.

"It was the nightmare world right? With that kid in little league!" Xander announced.

"Billy!" Willow exclaimed, "the demon Billy created in his nightmares that Buffy killed when she was changed into a- oh."

"Changed into a what?" Faith asked.

"A vampire," Buffy said.

"Daym, today was worth getting up for," Faith mumbled.

The manor door was abruptly knocked off of its hinges. It shot and skidded across the floor leaving deafening screeches in its path. The scoobies shot up. A robed demon with a deformed face and a clubbed hand entered the manor. "He looks like fun," Faith said sarcastically.

"**Lucky 19**!" the demon roared as it knocked over the coffee table. Xander shot at him with an axe, the demon jabbed him to the side and Xander hurled across the floor. Willow shot the demon with a white hot Jelly substance; it hit him in the face and scorched his skin away.  
Even that minor offensive spell gave her dark roots.  
Sid ducked under the demons legs and stabbed him in the thigh with a knife. He roared in pain before tossing Sid like a paper bag. Faith backhanded the demon into a wall and he tumbled over the dining table. She jumped onto it and kicked him to the head. He fell backward but managed to pull Faith's leg out from under her, she hit the ground like a sack of bricks.

Buffy felt her face tingle; her teeth began to ache and her stomach wretch in hunger. "Crap," Buffy said as she gave into the feeling and let the spell make the change. She felt her heart stop, her blood freeze over and her strength increase. Buffy shook her face from side to side and fully gave into the primal power of the vampire. Her growl could be heard on the top floor as she unleashed herself onto the demon, clawing at him, dodging his attacks, skilfully plotting her own moves before grabbing a broken shard of glass and burying it in the demons neck. The demon hit the ground hard and faded away in a white glow. Giles looked to his Slayer turned Vampire in awe. Faith got to her feet to get a better look.

"B, you're a frickin Vampire!" Faith exclaimed.

"Yeah I know, now how do we change me back?" Buffy asked. Just as she finished her last sentence she felt a disturbance in her body. Her heart restarted, her blood pumped eagerly and her canines retreated. Her yellow eyes became green and her bumpy face became its smooth flawless self again.

"That oughta do it," Xander said. The scoobies laughed, all except Buffy. She walked to the corner to grab a brush to begin clearing up. Her eyes were wide filled with terror and memories. Faith picked up on her fear once more and was about to ask about it. The clock struck four and Buffy knew Dawn and the girls were going to be home soon. She couldn't have them in the house, not with what was coming next.

"B, what is it?" Faith asked.

"Faith I need you to go to the school and take the girls somewhere anywhere but here," Buffy asked.

"Okay," Faith began, "But why?"

"Just do it," Buffy commanded. "I want you guys out'a here too, it's to dangerous," Buffy warned.

"Where not just going to run and hide Buffy, it wasn't my idea of fun but that demon wasn't anything major, whatever comes next we will handle- _**dear god**_," Giles said as he suddenly jumped onto Buffy's thought train.

"What is it?" Willow asked. If there was one thing Buffy feared more than losing her family, her friends, it was him. He who took her when she was the one and only chosen, the one who lead to the breaking of the Slayer line, the one who she still had nightmares about to that day.

"The Master," Buffy said.

The chandelier above their heads shined on the scar on Buffy's neck.

Author's note: Thank you to: Boris Yeltsin and Jeremy Shane who reviewed my last chapter.  
Thank you to: PrincessAlica who has begun reading My Season 8 and gave me a great review.  
Thank you to: Aurelierose who added myself and my story to their alerts.

Next chapter should be the final chapter of the episode; I hope you're enjoying it so far. If you're wondering why I didn't bother resurrecting the Preying Mantis and The Hyena's and any other season 1 villains its just because I chose my favourites and ones that would be good for the story. If you think otherwise, feel free to say so in a PM or review.  
As always, thank you for reading.


	4. Episode 12: Chapter 4

Buffy the Vampire Slayer  
Season 8, Episode 12  
Old Wounds  
Chapter 4

_1997_

"_Things are getting weird. Last night I dusted four vamps on campus and Giles just spends all his time in his office reading about the Master, I wish he'd just rise already, his minions are getting laughable. But I dunno, the dreams and the constant vamp action, maybe he is gunna rise, he's taken his time but how hard can another vampire be? Sure he's supposed to be like 1000 years old but I'm not to shaken up about it, he has this kid, goes by the anointed, as his right hand guy so he can't be all powerful like Giles makes out. At least I hope."_

"Buffy we'll stay, we'll help and we'll fight," Xander offered in the manor. The thought of the master returning into their lives was daunting. He was one of the most powerful vampires known, talked about in mystical scripture and he was killed by a 16 year old girl above the High School library. He was going to be pissed and they all knew it.

"Who's _The Master_?" except Faith.

Giles began, "he-he's a vampire Buffy killed years ago he um-"

"He murdered me," Buffy chimed in. Faith's eyebrows shot above her hair line at the fear in Buffy's eyes.

"This is the guy? The guy who started all this?" Faith asked.

"You could say that," Xander replied.

"Buffy you can't go up against the Master, he'll kill you," Willow said emotionally and bluntly.

"Maybe, maybe I'll take him with me," Buffy replied blinking back tears.

_1997_

_I guess this is it. I've heard the life of a Slayer is short lived but I guess I always thought I'd be the exception. What do I do here? Leave my mom and my friends a note? 'Hey guys, sorry couldn't come to brunch on the account of being dead and all.' I can't just leave, especially after she bought me that dress for the dance. It's beautiful. I should go by and see Willow, on the news vamps broke into the school and murdered a bunch of kids. Maybe I can convince mom to let us go away, never come back to this town, it's done nothing but add scars to my bruises.  
Guess I know why Giles hadn't seemed to go home this last week, or why I haven't seen Angel. He got Giles a book with a prophecy in it about me and the Master. 'Tonight Buffy will face the Master, and she will die!' I heard Giles yell back in the library. I was so mean to them both, it's not their fault, I'm the Slayer, dying's in the job description. But that's the rule right, one Slayer dies and the next one's called.  
Wonder who she is._

Faith began, "B I'm getting this guy's a big deal but you don't get it, you're not alone anymore, I'm here, red's here, Xander is…Xander-"

"Hey!" Xander hummed.

"Whatever, my point is we can take this bastard down just like any other vamp, you're not 16 anymore Buffy," Faith said. Faith only used Buffy's full name when she tried her hardest to get something through Buffy's skull. Buffy looked to the third Slayer in line.

"Get what you need to keep the girls away from here, I'm doing this alone," Buffy said.

Xander began, "Buff-"

"I mean it Xander, you can't be part of this," Buffy said, she turned to Faith, "the Master takes me down he's gonna try to open the Hellmouth, I'm counting on you to stop that," she ordered.

Faith began, "but B if we face him together-"

"He'll kill us both!" Buffy argued. Faith's eyes darted from the piercing gaze of the blonde. After long moments of silence the scoobies reached a compromise.

"The Master's smart Buffy, he won't come to you like the rest of them, he'll be expecting you, and by doing so you'll be walking into a trap. Why not let Willow try and get a lead on whoever cast the protection shield over your bedroom?" Giles suggested.

"I can't let anyone die just because we took the long way around," Buffy said and Faith and the gang couldn't help but agree. Buffy shot a glance at the afternoon sun.

"How're you gunna find him?" Willow asked.

"If the Master's back then I'm guessing his little friend is too," Buffy said.

"I'll grab Chris from the warehouse and snag the newbies on their way home," Faith said, "what do I tell em'?"

"Tell them, I dunno, think of something funny, tell them I said it," Buffy breathed.

"What about Dawn?" Xander asked.

"No, she stays in the dark and if worse comes to worse then you tell her, as for now she stays as she is," Buffy said.

"I should get going," Faith said as she grabbed her jacket from the couch and headed to the door. "And B? Be careful," Faith called over her shoulder. Buffy nodded as she left the house.

"What time's sundown?" Buffy asked.

"Sometime around six," Giles put in.

* * *

"Tell me why you dragged me out of bed to go for ice cream with all the other Slayer-ettes," Chris asked drowsily as they walked toward the school to intercept the girls on their way home.

"Just followin' orders," Faith replied.

"You don't look the type to be following anybody's orders," Chris guessed.

"Times comes when you've gotta fall in line," Faith mumbled. They reached a street corner and spotted the girls in groups walking in their direction. Faith spotted Dawn among the fray and shot a glance to the sun lit sky. She exhaled heavily.

"Faith what's goin' on to get you so spooked?" Chris asked.

"Just eat your ice cream Chris alright?" Faith ordered as she walked briskly to intercept the girls.

"I'm 17!" Chris called after her, "the last time I had ice cream was when my mom gave a damn!"

"Faith?" Dawn stopped as she spotted the advancing Slayer, the girls all stopped nervously. "What wrong?" Dawn asked seriously as Faith walked up to her.

"Nothin', B said you've all earned a night off from patrol so we're going shopping…and stuff," Faith smiled falsely.

"Where are Kate and Leash?" Chris asked looking in the crowd for her friends. Faith's eyes shifted at the question.

"They weren't in school," Joy replied.

"Forget that, I'm armed with Giles' credit card!" Faith beamed with thoughts of violence and blood. The girls changed direction and headed for the bus station. Dawn looked Faith up and down in disbelief, she knew something was up but if Faith was acting girly on somebody's orders but her own, something bad was going down.

* * *

The sun was setting on the Lake's water and the manor Cliffside. Buffy took a deep breath in and grabbed her leather jacket from the coat rack by the door. Xander, Giles, Andrew and Nicholas were sitting in the living room exchanging boring conversation to try and take their minds off things. They saw the room dim and chanced a glance at the Slayer. She placed her jacket around her and looked her watcher fearfully in the eye. He stood up and cleaned his glasses. "Where's Will?" Buffy asked.

Willow cautiously walked toward the door of Buffy's room. She placed her hand around the doorknob and tried childishly to open it, she pushed her hand toward the wood of the door and it began to shine red. Willow took out her (stolen) truth crystal from the magic shop and sprinkled it with a purple powder. She tossed the powder at the door and it merged. The crystal shone red. "_Morsmorta Sayperio_," Willow chanted. Her dark hair became apparent and only the tips of them stayed red. She felt the urge to unleash but pulled it back leaving her with a sting behind her eyes and pains in her stomach.  
She held her stomach casually as she made her way to the entrance hall. "Got everything you need?" she asked Buffy.

"Just need one more thing," Buffy smiled. She jogged quickly down to the basement and opened a locked trunk in the corner of the room by the bookshelf. She couldn't remember where she'd hidden the key so she collided her shoe with the lock. It broke open and she flipped up the lid. She felt washed in power as she looked down at her most precious instrument. If anything was going to give her the edge over the Master, it was this. The scythe.

Buffy left the manor just as the sun set over the Cliffside. She strolled down the private roads and onto the busy street. She didn't give much thought to the staring people who gazed at the armed lady walking with purpose. The crimson shine of the Scythe shone in the street lights that had only just switched on. She turned a corner into the industrial estate when a voice called at her from an alley. "Help me," a boy's voice called.

"I didn't fall for it the first time kid, not gonna get me this time either. You're here to take me to him right?" Buffy asked the anointed. The boy held his hand high and Buffy took it willingly. His eyes gazed at the scythe but they darted away when Buffy nudged it towards him. The anointed lead her through back alleys and parking lots until they reached something called, _"The Mariners Inn_." Buffy looked at the creepy condemned Hotel and looked to the boy attached at her hip. He nodded in the direction of the hotel and Buffy released her hold on him. She pushed the broken chain open and headed toward the structure.

* * *

"Willow, what are you doing?" Giles asked the witch as she scurried around the kitchen looking for Giles's keys.

"I did a spell on the door to lead me to the witch or warlock who conjured the barrier," Willow said.

"Forgive me but I only see what I assume to be a truth crystal," Giles scrutinised.

"I know, I tinkered with it but it should work," Willow replied.

"Should?" Giles asked sceptically. Willow spotted the keys on top of the microwave and grasped them.

"Y'coming or not?" Willow asked.

"I suppose but Willow this might end in a fight and with what happened to you today, how can you be sure you're going to be able to keep…your other self…at bay?" Giles asked.

"Giles if we stand around thinking about the risks Buffy could die fighting the Master…again! Or we could floor it in you penis extension of a car and reach the person responsible before she even gets there!" Willow snapped. Giles' eyes shot above his retreating hairline. "Good, you drive."

* * *

Buffy stepped into the lobby of the hotel and found burning candles littered up the stairs and on shelves. The hotel itself reminded Buffy of the Hyperion but she knew her vampire lover was not in the building, but another vampire entirely. She gripped the Scythe closer to her chest as she stepped onto the cracked floor. Her heel echoed as she stepped. She remembered stepping into the Masters' lair under the High School, the candles, the dirty floor, the blood pool, the bodies and the damn leaky pipe that created the pool she drowned in. "Well," called an eerie familiar voice, "have to say, I prefer what you wore last time."

"Yeah well, you always were a sucker for the cliché," Buffy retaliated as she shot glances to the horror movie candles.

"Oh good, the witty banter portion of the fight, I seem to have lost my joke book," the Masters voice called. Buffy couldn't seem to locate the source of his voice.

"Yeah well did you check under the sofa in hell?" she replied.

"Funny," the Master said stepping into the light. His eyes glowed red as they stared at the back of Buffy's blond head. His skin was the palest shade of white that it seemed to reflect of his dusty black clothes. Buffy turned to the spot were the master was standing but saw only darkness, he'd disappeared.

* * *

"Stop!" Willow said as the red glow of the crystal strengthened. Giles pressed on the brakes heavily and the car skidded to a stop.

"Where are we?" Giles asked at the unfamiliar territory.

"I guess we found our villain of the week," Willow said as she nodded her head toward a sign. Giles twisted his head and met the bright sign.

_Wolfram & Hart  
Attorneys At Law_.

Giles pulled his car into the lot and the witch and watcher walked side by side into evil incorporated.

"Next!" Amy called from her desk. A blue faced big toothed demon stepped aside angrily and made way for a man and woman. "How can I help you?" Amy asked. Suddenly she found herself being hoisted in the air by an invisible force before being tossed across the lobby like a paper bag. She hit the floor and spotted a dark rooted Willow and Giles standing in front of her desk. "Took ya long enough," Amy said as she wiped her bloody nose and spat on the floor. She attempted to raise herself to her feat.

"Stay down," Giles said. Amy crashed back to the floor.

"How do we reverse the spell?" Willow asked.

"I'm not telling you a thing," Amy said as she fought through Giles charm and got to her feat.

* * *

"You know I might have pointed this out before but for an all powerful guy you sure do like to hide," Buffy echoed herself.

"I want to savour this moment, I see you bring gifts," the Master replied.

"Why don't you come and unwrap it," Buffy replied as she twisted the Scythe thrice in her hand.

"I can see perfectly fine from here," the voice said loudly. Buffy spun around quickly with the Scythe. A white long nailed claw-like hand caught the hilt of the Scythe and the other caught Buffy by the neck. Buffy gazed into his eyes and shivered. Her fear was icy; no demon has ever made her feel so…inferior, meaningless, helpless.

"I dreamt of a moment like this while I slept, to taste you again, funny good only wins in the movies," the Master breathed baring his teeth.

She flashed back to the alley outside the Bronze back in Sunnydale, she had Spike knelt at her feet. "All we need is _One…Good…Night_," he had said. She felt a surge of power and as The Masters' cool breathe drew ever closer to her two half-moon scars, she broke his grasp on the Scythe and threw the spiked hilt into his face. He fell backward dazed and Buffy rolled backwards across the floor. "Keep dreamin'," Buffy spat at him as he lay on the floor wide-eyed.

* * *

The employees and clients of Wolfram and Hart fled the lobby leaving Amy, Giles and Willow alone. Amy's eyes turned black as she conjured a gust of wind that sent Giles tumbling over her desk and unconscious. Willow glanced at the letter opener on Amy's desk and floated it toward her, she shot it at the opposite witch but Amy deflected it with a counter spell. "Going straight in for the kill Willow, that's a new one…oh yeah that's right," Amy sniggered. Willow flashed her palms and the lights of Wolfram & Hart began to shatter. Amy looked around unfased. "Ooh scary earthquake, you've really got my blood going," Amy beamed. Amy raised her hand and a shot of electric dark light left it, it zoomed toward Willow but she matched it with a beam of her own. The two magics crackled and fizzed as they fought for dominance.  
Amy's magic drew closer and closer to Willow. She was aware of her darkening roots and so didn't fight back to the best of her ability until Amy's light was in nose touching distance. Willow willingly gave herself over to the power, veins and all.

The fighting lights exploded and Amy was knocked back with fiery force. As the dust settled Amy's eyes met that of a Willow she barely recognised. Her hair dark, her eyes black, her veins eye catching and her essence…changed. Willow walked slowly toward Amy. Amy cast offensive spells at the witch but they just rebounded off her skin. Willow took the truth crystal from her pocket and shoved it inside Amy's mouth.

"How do I pass the barrier?" Willow asked politely as she held Amy's mouth tightly to prevent her vomiting all over her.

* * *

Buffy charged at the Master, his hypnotic stare caught her and she reluctantly tossed the Scythe aside into the darkness. He released his hold on her and she panicked at her weapon-less hands. "If we're going to do this, I think we should do it fairly," the Master announced.

"No problem; didn't have a weapon last time," Buffy winked.

The Master raged and charged for the Slayer delivering powerful attacks to her face and chest. His nails clawed into her face as she was sent tumbling into a wax drenched candle stand. He went for her again but she spun her legs and collided them with his ankles, he fell to the floor and before rolling free she delivered a hefty kick to his face. She rolled to the Scythe and brought it into the light. The two opponents rose to their feet once more. "I can dance all night, I've had eternity," the Master sniggered.

"And not a day more when I gut you in two," Buffy replied.

"Now what's with the gruesome remarks, it's just uncalled for," he frowned.

"Better come over here and teach me some manners," Buffy retaliated.

* * *

Willow relinquished her hold on Amy who spat the crystal out fiercely. Willow walked over to an unconscious Giles and placed a hand on his shoulder. "This isn't over!" Amy shouted with blood seeping from her ears, nose and mouth. Willow shot her a terrifying glance before teleporting back to the manor amongst Xander, Nicholas and Andrew who were pacing in the entrance hall eagerly awaiting their return. Xander and Nicholas back away from the powerful wicca in fear and shock. Willow ignored them and bounded for the steps to the third floor. Nicholas dropped to Giles' aid while Xander bolted after his best friend preparing to give the yellow crayon speech. He found Willow as she battled with the barrier on the door. However it proved no match for the witch as it melted from the door. Willow raised her leg to kick the door open.

* * *

Buffy charged at the Master with Scythe in hand. He made an attempt to grab the Slayer, to snap her neck, to tear her head from her shoulders but Buffy glided under his arms and spun around aiming for his neck. The Master turned just in time to feel the blade of the Scythe slice open his jugular. Buffy grunted as she pulled the Scythe toward her and away from him. The Master fell to the ground, grappling his neck as the ancient blood poured over his body.

"You…you're nothing," Buffy spat.

* * *

Willow's heel collided with the wood of the door and it swung open. The room flashed white and Willow fell to the ground with her eyes returning their usual shade, her hair doing the same and her veins retreating into her skin. Xander rushed to the threshold. Kate and Alicia picked their gaze up from the diary and shot it at Xander. "God Xander, knock much?" Kate exclaimed. Xander ran at the girls and grabbed the diary. He tore it in two and it flashed white. He tossed the book into the trash on his way to help his best friend.

Alicia and Kate exchanged confused looks.

* * *

The Masters gurgling body became a flash of white light before disappearing. Buffy exhaled in relief of the fact she was alone in the hotel. She looked to the candles and as she let her tears flow she unleashed herself on them. Knocking them down, tipping them over, crashing and burning filled the lobby. When all light was distinguished, Buffy dropped the Scythe and then dropped herself; she pulled her legs to her chest, and cried. But have you ever had the feeling that somebody was watching you? Buffy didn't, but boy did she wish she did because atop the lobby looking over the darkness of the hotel stood another blonde…Darla.

* * *

Amy began clearing up the mess in the lobby of Wolfram & Hart. She had tissues in her nose and bloodied ones in her blazer pocket from where she'd wiped her mouth and ears. "Amy?" called Hectors voice from inside his office.

"Yeah?" she gurgled in response.

"You're fired," Hector replied casually.

"**What!**" Amy asked furiously.

"I don't tolerate failure Amy, and fail we did, however the senior partners need a scapegoat so when the Slayers begin asking questions, we can play the innocent monster under the bed. Sorry love, it's nothing personal," Hector informed as he closed the doors to his office.

After various angry outbursts and explosive curse words, Amy packed up her desk, furious with herself and the firm but she was too exhausted to fight back.

_Today's exhaustion will fuel tomorrow's war _she thought as she made her way to her second-hand SUV. She climbed inside and turned the key in the ignition.

"So," said a voice from the backseat. Amy swirled around to see the mysterious man from the cemetery, "I heard a rumour you know the Slayer," the man asked.

Amy smirked.

* * *

Authors Note: So that's it, episode 12 complete. Did you enjoy? I hope you did.  
Thank you to: Boris Yeltsin, PrincessAlica & Jeremy Shane for reviewing my latest chapters.

I have a CRAZY week of Exams in Math and Science so the next episode might take till this weekend or a smidge longer, but bare with me, it will be done, promise.

Thank you for reading.


	5. Episode 13: Chapter 1

Buffy the Vampire Slayer  
Season 8, Episode 13  
The Slayer, the Witch and the Catacombs  
Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with Buffy the Vampire Slayer or the Buffyverse, I am just a fan!

Summary: When Chris learns of Buffy's history she becomes curious about the world around her and what being a Slayer actually means. Willow decides to put her endurance to the test and seeks out Amy in the hopes of ending it once and for all. Xander takes Dawn to school in the hopes of making up with Julie meanwhile Faith makes some new discoveries about the manor and what is to come.

Giles' routine had gotten very plain, simple…and boring. He'd go to bed around 10 pm most nights, read till midnight, wake up at 6:30 and make his tea before the horde of girls descended, have breakfast, some day's he'd clean and others he spent cooked up in his office pretending to do important watcher stuff when he was actually playing solitaire, before going to bed and starting it all again. He hated to admit it, but sometimes he prayed for a demon to come crashing through the manor door or even the kitchen window. There was the odd few times when he would be asked to help out when training the girls but mostly Buffy and Faith boasted they could handle it.  
He'd go to bed every night with the same thought in his head, '_What am I doing here?'_

The last week was a peaceful one, for some. Xander fixed the window with a few stolen supplies from the hardware store, Willow continued to practice her magic but still couldn't manage even a locater spell without going all mistress of the dark and Nicholas continued to inspect the manor and learn everything he felt _he_ needed to know. Giles thought Buffy's condition had worsened. After leaving L.A he didn't know the reason for why she was so upset but he didn't want to ask because he knew she would come to him when she was ready. Her weight loss had became more apparent and she was secluding herself even more, his best guess was that her battle with the Master had shaken her worse than the first time. He'd seen Xander try to console her but she would just shake it off.  
Giles also had his worries about Faith, her increasing strength and speed, her boosted senses and the fact she was talking in proper English was just…weird. And so as he made his way to the manor's third floor to speak with the original Slayer he took all his worries about Buffy and put them to one side so he could concentrate on Faith's…condition.

He knocked gently on the door and heard Buffy's voice call, "come in." Buffy was sitting at her window watching the water's of Lake Erie crash against the cliff-side. Giles sat on the end of her bed. "Giles, what're we gonna do?" Buffy asked.

"I'm sorry?" Giles replied.

"About Faith, the Slayer slash _Clark Kent_," Buffy added.

"That is just what I was coming to talk to you about, I fear the man in the graveyard wasn't exaggerating," Giles said.

"Giles she took on Molach by herself, with a rusty axe and walked away with a few cuts and bruises. Back in high school he could have snapped my neck in a heart beat," Buffy told.

"But he didn't," Giles added.

"Yeah thanks to faulty wiring and badly made dry wall," Buffy replied. "Do you think she's noticed too?"

"Buffy this is Faith, she's so big headed she probably thinks these abilities are the effects of a protein drink," Giles said rolling his eyes.

"Wow, that wasn't British at all," Buffy said seriously.

"I suppose it wasn't," Giles smiled cleaning his glasses.

"Maybe you could say that you're doing more tests on the Dream Catcher tattoo and maybe you'll find something?" Buffy suggested.

"Buffy I've completely exhausted all of my resources, I wouldn't know what else to try," Giles admitted.

"Well maybe Willow?" Buffy suggested.

"No, we can't bring Willow into this," Giles dismissed.

"She can handle it," Buffy said furrowing her brow at him.

"Buffy she can barely float a pencil and by what you've said about how Faith got the tattoo this is on a much bigger level," Giles replied.

"But if we let her try-"

"If we let her try we might not get her back again, you didn't see her at Wolfram & Hart Buffy, it was just like last time and you can only come back from that so many times," Giles argued.

"Well maybe you need to have more faith in people," Buffy said angrily.

Buffy and Giles endured a few moments of silence and avoiding eye-contact when there was a knock on the door. The knocker didn't wait for an invitation. "Mr. Giles?" called Chris's voice.

"Yes?" Giles replied.

"Can we talk?" Chris looked at Buffy's curious eye, "alone?" Chris added.

"Um, sure," Giles said confused.

"Do you mind?" Chris asked.

"No, we were done here," Buffy jibed at Giles. He shot her a look before entering the third floor corridor and closing the door to Buffy's room.

"What's on your mind?" Giles asked.

"I need to know…what I am…and I think you're the only one who can help me," Chris said finding it hard to admit she needed help.

* * *

Faith crashed headfirst into the manor with her ankle crying with pain. She'd been out on her patrol and had gotten separated from Jessica, Beth and Vi when she was jumped by five Vamps. Two of them were of the sun-resistant variety and after taking out the normies her gut was yelling at her to run but at the same time her head was screaming at her to keep fighting. She went with her head and oddly enough the fight wasn't as easy as her Slayer instincts were making out. However the rough and tumble took its toll on Faiths' ankle when she had her legs knocked out from under her. She looked to the stairs toward her room and her bed but her head told her eyes and legs to take a different route toward the basement and training room.

* * *

Giles and Chris descended the stairs just in time to see Faith disappear through the closed door hallway. The followed behind her and turned into the library. They sat opposite each other by the table. "So you're a _Watcher_ right?" Chris began.

"Yes," Giles replied.

"What's that?" Chris asked bluntly. Giles was taken aback.

"Well, a watcher h-he trains the Slayer and k-knows skills to teach her," Giles replied.

"Are you all British?" Chris asked.

"Well no-"

"Do you guys have a base?"

"We d-did"

"Did?"

"It was blown up some months ago"

Why? By who?"

"Chris, what is this, why the sudden curiosity into…everything?" Giles asked.

"Last week, when Buffy went up against that dead super vamp thing, she's so shaken up over it? And I just wanna know why? Why was he different? And about vampires! Y'know what are they, really? Are they humans who drink blood or full on demons? And what is a Slayer? I'm a Slayer, but what does that mean for me?" Chris rambled.

"Chris!" Giles said with question overload.

"Sorry," Chris said taking off her leather jacket and hanging it over the chair next to her.

"I don't really know what to tell you, it is an extremely long story, literally, but the library is completely stocked with Watcher and Slayer diaries and mythology that you're free to read over _whenever_ you feel like," Giles offered before getting up to leave the library. Chris was about to pipe up to object and ask Giles to stay and talk with her more but he was already halfway to the door scratching his head and cleaning his glasses in exhaustion. Chris fell heavily into her seat before scowering the library for books and scrolls and anything she could get her hands on.

* * *

Xander sat in his room making yet another attempt at the number Julie left him on Halloween night. He dialled the number into his cell and pressed call. He pressed the phone to his ear and listened as the dial tone changed to a ring. The ring continued for another few seconds before Julie's answer phone rang in his ears. He closed his cell and tossed it on the night stand before turning of the light and climbing into bed for another restless night's sleep.

He woke up the next morning and shot right for his phone. _0 Missed Calls_. He tossed the covers off him and sat up running his fingers through his shaggy black hair. He grabbed his eye patch from the bedside table and tossed it over his eye. He wore a black vest top with dark blue pyjama pants. He looked at the clock and found that it was a quarter to eight in the morning. He'd slept in; he was going to be late for work. He bolted downstairs for something to eat before he got dressed and ran into a tired looking Dawn in the entrance hall. All the girls who attended the high school had left the manor by now and those above the age of eighteen trained in the basement or relaxed for a few hours. "Cutting it kinda close aren't cha' Dawny?" Xander asked.

"Over slept, Miss Carter is so gonna give me a tardy card," Dawn said as she pulled her socks so high they nearly went over her head. Xander realised taking Dawn to school would be the perfect excuse to have innocently ran into Julie, she _was_ Dawn's teach after all.

"Well I could drive you?" Xander offered gingerly.

"Won't you be late for work?" Dawn asked.

"Well yeah, but Lou can't fire me, who's gunna' clean the gutter while he goes to his granddaughters seventeenth piano recital," Xander replied.

"True," Dawn smiled.

"Wait here while I change," Xander said as he turned back to the main stairs.

* * *

Giles got up from his morning dose of CNN and entered the kitchen to clean his mug free of tea stains. He was dressed properly but his old dressing gown hung lazily off of his shoulders. He glanced down at his wrist to find his watch was missing. He scowered the manor for it until he remembered talking to Chris in the library before he went to bed. He pushed on the library doors and found the blonde haired and green eyed leather jacket wearing Slayer fast asleep with her nose buried deep in Slayer mythology. Giles looked at her confused before tapping his hand on her shoulder to gently wake her. She raised her head drowsily and wiped her mouth free of saliva; her heavy mascara trailing down her face. "Chris?" Giles asked.

"M-Mr Giles? What're you doing at the warehouse?" Chris asked.

"N-no, you're not at the warehouse, your in the library Chris, you must've fallen asleep," Giles smiled.

"Oh, looks like," Chris said as she looked around the room and at the stack of books in front of her.

"Well," Giles began as he sat down in front of her and found his watch on the side of the table, "get much reading done?"

"Yeah a tonne, but nothing helpful," Chris said exasperated.

"Remind me again about your sudden thirst for knowledge, not that I object in anyway but it seems quite sudden," Giles said.

"I just don't wanna be surprised when I run into something nasty on the streets, I wanna know how to kill it or at least how to defend myself, I don't want to get to Buffy's age and still have nightmares about a Vampire back in High School," Chris admitted.

"The Master wasn't no ordinary vampire Chris," Giles said.

"Yeah so the books say, he's so old he's lost the ability to show human features, abilities no other vampire possess, excess in strength blah blah blah," Chris said. "I don't get how Buffy can close _'A Hellmouth'_ but be scared of a vampire," Chris said confused.

"When Buffy was 16," Giles began telling the Master's and Buffy's story. Chris began to listen intently as she was finally getting what she wanted. He continued, "she moved to a town in California called Sunnydale which sat atop a Hellmouth just like the one here in Cleveland. At this time the only Slayer in the world was Buffy but she had remarkable strength that she never let anybody know it bothered her…until the night I read the prophecy that the Master would rise and open the Sunnydale Hellmouth and that his killing the Slayer and Guardian of the Hellmouth was foretold and destiny. Buffy heard the news and let's say she didn't take it well. But she did what had to be done as she always does and sought the Master out. He fed off her and left her to drown…and she died," Giles said.

"Buffy doesn't look much like _Casper_," Chris said confused.

"Luckily shortly after the Master rose Xander was able to revive Buffy. She fought the Master for a second time and he received the sharp end of the Stake," Giles said. "But those few seconds where Buffy was physically dead were enough and a Slayer was called named Kendra Young in the West Indies," Giles told.

"But I still don't get why the Master spooks her out so much," Chris said in frustration.

"Because he's the only one to have ever won!" Giles snapped. "Buffy, in one way or another, has always won the battle. She's always found away, but if not for Xander she wouldn't be standing here today and the world would not be as you know it. When Buffy died for a second time-"

"She's died twice?" Chris asked shocked.

"Just let me finish," Giles snapped finding familiarity in Chris's green eyes, "she died of her own accord. She did what she needed to do to save the world, and that involved her death."

"Wow, I didn't know she'd been through all that," Chris said taken aback.

"Most people don't," Giles said as he got up to leave like the night before.

"But wait," Chris called after him, "you're bringing me into the middle of the story."

"What do you want to know Chris?" Giles asked.

"Everything, from the very start to me and you talking now. What happened in the beginning?" she asked.

* * *

Faith took a break from her training to glance at her watch and was astounded at the fact it was morning already, she hadn't gone to sleep all night. This sudden normal frame of mind made her realise her ankle was still throbbing from the night before. She sat down on the floor and held her ankle in her hands. She grabbed some ice from a medi-kit on the wall and strapped the ice bag to her foot with the aid of a few bandages. She got up and limped toward the stares. She placed her good foot on the first step when she felt a sudden tingle on her back. She ignored it as she stepped onto the second stair. The tingling sensation increased. Faith curiously and confusedly tried looking over her shoulder to find her back was glowing purple just like it did a month ago when her and the scoobies were on the other plane talking to the ghosts of the kids from the 1800's. She stepped back into the basement and looked at her back in the mirror to see her dream catcher tattoo faintly glowing purple. The iris of her eyes began to do the same and she began to see shadows and aura's around the basement room. She looked all around completely astounded as to what was happening when she saw a bright shine on a wall above a weapons chest. She limped over to it and traced her hand over the wall. The tingle on her back began to strengthen as Faith's hand disappeared in the wall. She was bathed in curiosity as she stepped through the mystical portal and disappeared from the basement.

* * *

Authors Note: And so episode 13 begins.  
Thank you to: Boris Yeltsin, twin who likes to travel, e m . l b h and Jeremy Shane who reviewed my last chapter.  
So on Friday I had three science exams in Biology, Chemistry and Physics and they could have gone better but I did my best right? And on Wednesday I have a math exam I've been worried about for about 12 months so wish me luck. I saw the opportunity to begin my 13th episode before I have to begin the strenuous hours of revision and studying so I hope you enjoyed it. Sorry if it might seem a little rushed. I'll begin writing on Wednesday so you should have the next chapter of the 13th episode by either Wednesday night or Thursday.

Wish me luck for this exam.

And as always, thank you for reading.


	6. Episode 13: Chapter 2

Buffy the Vampire Slayer  
Season 8, Episode 13  
The Slayer, The Witch and the Catacombs  
Chapter 2

Xander changed quickly into a pair of cleanly cut dark jeans and a nice button shirt. He pulled out a pair of shoes he hadn't worn yet because he was waiting for the perfect opportunity and he thought this was it. He was dressed to impress (in Xander's standards). He adjusted his hair and eye patch in the mirror before closing his bedroom door. He called in sick and after Lou's numerous failed attempts to get Xander to 'soldier through' because he had an appointment with the _thumb doctor_, he headed down the stairs toward Dawn who was shocked that he wasn't wearing his usual vest and sweat pants. "Ready?" he asked.

"Yeah," Dawn said as she tossed her school bag over her shoulder and adjusted her lip gloss.

"I left my wallet in the kitchen by Giles' keys, I'll catch up," Xander said.

"Kay," Dawn obliged as they parted ways, Dawn toward the front door and Xander through the closed door hallway. He pushed the door of the kitchen open after giving Giles and Chris a curious look as he saw them together talking in the library. He pried the keys from the rack and dragged his brown leather wallet across the table. His reflexes weren't what they used to be and the wallet fell from the table onto the kitchen floor. He picked it up and noticed a white piece of paper drop from the fold in his wallet. He tossed the wallet into his jeans pocket and bent to pick up the paper.  
Xander's heart skipped a beat when he turned the paper over and looked at it closely. It was a photograph taken two years ago in his apartment back in Sunnydale. Xander's uncle Ronnie had had to stay the night because he ran out of gas when he was in town for a free wine tasting.

_Any excuse for a boozer was Uncle Ronnie._

Anya had insisted on making cookies for Xander's uncle because she wanted to be seen as your normal typical housewife…not a 1000 year old ex-demon. Needless to say it didn't go so well and cookie dough and eggs and flour outnumbered the amount of paint on the walls. Xander's _Aqua Man _t-shirt was destroyed and Anya was wiping cookie dough from his nose.

He smiled at the memory of that night; it reminded him of easier times, when he had the love of a good woman and the use of both Retinas'. But the warm and fuzzy feeling didn't last long and was soon replaced by grief, sadness, longing and loneliness.

He met Dawn out front who stood leaned against the passenger side of Giles' cherry red car tapping her foot impatiently. "Let's go," Xander said as he pushed a button on the keys and the car flashed and unlocked.

* * *

"This world is older than most people know, on the contrary to popular mythology, it did not begin…a paradise," Giles began back in the library. He grabbed a globe from one of the closets and twirled it in front of Chris who listened intently. "For untold eons, demons walked the Earth. They made it their home, their um, their Hell. But in time they lost their hold on this reality and the time was made for mortal animals, f-for man. All that are left of the Old Ones are in vestiges, in magic, creatures and in a place called the Deeper Well were the remains of the Old Ones are held there for guard and safe keeping," Giles continued. "The books tell that the last demon to leave this reality fed off a human; mixed their blood. The human shared part of the demon soul, a human possessed; infected. He bit another…and another and another and so they walk the Earth, feeding. Killing some or mixing their blood with others to make more of their kind. Thusly, Vampires," Giles said. He spotted the disappointed and tired expression on Chris's face. "What?" he asked.

"It's just…I'm not asking for the Cliffnotes version here Mr. Giles," she said.

"Well 'Cliffnotes' is all human kind has to go on Chris, the Old Ones predate the written word, speech and language. Any information is limited and mostly unreliable, even the words in these books could be fiction because there is no way to be sure," Giles argued.

"C'mon Mr Giles, you're supposed to be super intelligent watcher guy, what else can you tell me?" Chris asked.

"Well in the councils forbidden scriptures I remember seeing illustrations of ancient battles and demons that made my adolescent skin crawl. The Old Ones were beings of incredible size and intellect, fighting for territory, fighting for mates to create lesser beings of their kind to create an army and fighting because it was all they knew. The Old Ones are the perfect example for pure undiluted evil; absolute," Giles said.

"More," Chris demanded, her thirst for knowledge becoming an addiction. Giles remembered sitting behind his fathers' desk reading through scrolls and diagrams of cave carvings at the age of 9 in the dead of night.

"Although all the Old Ones possessed incredible speed and stamina and towered over landscapes, they too possessed immortality," Giles said as he looked to his memories.

"What do you mean?" Chris said.

"Well when two Old Ones and their army's fought and one bested the other in a battle that would last weeks and months, they wouldn't die. They would shed that life and begin another by their essence being reborn again," Giles told.

"So if they don't die, why aren't they here today? How were they killed and cast out of this reality if a knife in the gut ain't enough?" Chris asked.

"Nobody knows, at least I don't think. It's just said that they lost their grip on this world, some, because of their power, were un-killable and cast out of this dimension when the time for man came and others where killed-"

"Killed how?" Chris asked.

"When bested in battle it is said that the corpse of the Old One remains but the essence moves on. The Deeper Well which is a burial ground for the Old Ones is home to sarcophagus' that contain parts of the demon carcass and the stone of the sarcophagus is embedded with jewels that contain the trapped essence of the demon," Giles said.

"So okay, standard question, how do you think it came about that they were forced to leave?" Chris asked.

"I couldn't even begin to guess," Giles replied.

"Well try," Chris encouraged. Giles exhaled heavily as he revisited a theory he'd had for a long time.

"Well, my father thought that the abilities of some of the Old Ones were just that; abilities, like being good at drawing or playing an instrument for us would be the same as stopping time and teleportation for them so, when the time of mortal animals and humans came to be, mankind tapped into a force that could rival the Old Ones. I believe it was magic that scared the Old Ones out of existence," Giles told.

"Okay but since being here I've seen _some_ vampire's use magic, so that can't be right can it?" Chris asked.

"Well the vampires of today, unlike the Old One who mixed it's blood with a humans beginning the race of Vampires, are tainted with humanity; they aren't pure demon," Giles informed.

"Okay so at this point we have Old Ones, tainted demons, mortal animals, humans and magic. What came next?" Chris asked.

"She did," Giles replied.

* * *

Willow sat alone in the crisp morning breeze with her legs crossed on the grass of the Manor's garden. It wasn't much of a garden anymore because for a long while the back yard played home to the newbies training area while the basement was being de-watered. She sat with her eyes closed and her hands on the grass feeling everything nature did under the roots and soil. She channelled nature and goodness into herself and felt it ooze into her core.  
She opened her eyes and felt the usual stain of inky blackness cover them.  
She pulled her hands from the ground quickly and felt her eyes clear. She exhaled sadly and angrily and couldn't shake off the feeling of weakness. She thought by channelling good magic, natural magic and not offensive magic she might be able to take control like she did in England with Giles. But even attempting to speed up the germination process of a seed in the Earth gave her the hunger and desire for the black and forbidden arts.

She decided to try again.

If Willow was known for anything it was that she didn't give up when things got tough.

She thrust her palms to the grass and channelled the earth's power. Her mind's eye followed the trails carved in the soil by roots and she located a rose seed. She whispered a low incantation and held her head back. She fought through the persisting black in her eyes until a beautiful red rose erupted out of the ground at her feet. The thorns of the rose sliced through the air as it continued to grow to its full potential and the petals turned from a bulb to an open wave of nature and leaves from the stem grew out with red and dark green ridges at the tips.

Nicholas watched the witches struggle and admired her strength.

Willow had overcome the inky blackness of her eyes and her usual shade of brown gleamed in the morning sunshine. She smiled at the rose and felt pride and achievement, for a brief moment she felt like everything was going to be okay. She was about to pluck the flower from the ground when she cut her finger on one of the thorns. She felt a twitch in her hands and her eyebrows and suddenly without incantation or meaning the rose erupted in hell-like flames. The flames fed off the rose in seconds and left black ash on the scorch marked grass.

* * *

Xander and Dawn pulled up outside the school gates into a hoard of testosterone and gossip. The school buzzed and sent vibrations through the ground. "Thanks for the ride Xand," Dawn said.

"No problem," Xander smiled. He chanced a glance through the windshield and through the crowd of adolescence he found the dark haired woman known as Julie. She war a black turtle neck top and trousers with a long white cardigan that reached down to her upper knee. She was handing out flyers for Principal Fischer about _Stanger Danger_ but as the floor was littered with the posters the students were not taking much notice of their English teacher.

"So…" Dawn said as she inclined her head toward Ms. Carter.

"Hm?" Xander said taking his gaze from the woman to Dawn.

"Ms. Carter! C'mon you expect me to believe you got all clean for no reason?" Dawn laughed.

"I resent that," Xander joked.

"Go for it Xand, worst case scenario she laughs in your face in front of the entire student body and somehow all you clothes are blown away by the wind leaving you naked and cold in front of everybody," Dawn said bluntly.

"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence," Xander smiled.

"You know what I mean," Dawn said seriously this time, "go get her," she added.

Xander watched in his minds' eye himself get out of the car and walk straight up to Julie and ask her out to coffee or a movie or a club but the sudden feeling of his wallet in his jeans caught his attention. He traced his hands over his pocket where the photograph lay and stroked it delicately. "Maybe another time," Xander inclined.

"Another time _soon_, woman like that ain't gunna stay single for much longer," Dawn said.

"If you don't get your ass out of this car soon I just might have to punch you," Xander said with a smile.

"Okay I get, Dawn needs to shut up and go get an education now," she replied as she pulled the latch on the door and stepped onto the street.

"You need me to pick you up after school?" Xander offered through the passenger window.

"Um, no it's okay, I'll hitch a ride off Chase, besides you should get to work," Dawn replied.

"When did you become the boss of me?" Xander joked.

"Go to work," Dawn smiled as she turned to the gates and strolled. Xander released a breath he didn't know he was holding and shot another look at Julie before driving away in his borrowed car.

* * *

Faith found herself engulfed in a riot of wind that rang in her ears like a megaphone. Her hair wisped around her face and she fought to get it out of her mouth and eyes, she fought frantically to keep her stance when all of a sudden the wind stopped and everything was still. She became suddenly conscious that the pain in her ankle had disappeared and her aches and bruises were dull and numb. "What the-" Faith was interrupted by the sudden ignition of fire torches all the way along a huge stone corridor in which she was standing. The ceiling was so high up that the light given off by the many bright flames didn't cast a large enough glow to reach it. The sweat on her red vest top from her entire night of training had almost completely dried because of the heat in the corridor. Faith couldn't help but feel claustrophobic as the width of the hallway didn't equal her arm span. Instead she was left with her elbows tracing over the stony wall.

She shot glances at the walls and noticed the jaggered edges she thought where just decaying rock wasn't that at all, but instead were diagrams and images of men and women and demons and vampires. She reached her hand up to one of the top images and swept her hand over it curiously.  
Suddenly, down the enormous hallway a stone hit the floor heavily and echoed loudly. Faith squinted animalisticly but could only manage to make out a strangely deformed dark silhouette. "Marco?" Faith called playfully false. She grabbed a torch from the wall and shot a glance behind her back to find a flat carved wall just like the others. She took a deep breath in and stepped forward, torch in hand, toward the silhouette.

* * *

"She who?" Chris asked puzzled.

"The First Slayer," Giles replied.

"Finally," Chris mumbled.

"You know _Patience_, if you just wanted to learn about the First Slayer it would have saved us quite some time," Giles poked. Chris didn't like being called by her real name. She felt bare and vulnerable; admittedly 'Chris' was a character she played while her mask was on.

"It's Chris," she corrected. Giles looked her up and down before continuing.

"The First Slayer is known to watchers as the Primitive, but in actual fact it is said her given name was Sineya," Giles began. "At this point the remaining Old Ones and the demons and vampires are terrorizing villages all over the world.

Killing, feeding.

In the Ancient African continent a group of powerful mystical men scowered the continent looking for a girl whom they thought could handle their gift. They journeyed to Sineya's village and introduced themselves to the Chief as _The Shadow Men _and that if his tribe showed them hospitality they would bring about a good Harvest in the rain season. The chief obliged and gave up his hut to the three men. The men watched as the tribe's warriors attempted to fight off the attacking Vampires that prowled the village at night but they couldn't find a warrior able bodied with the potential and worthiness of their gift.  
Until one night in the rain season when the Warriors defended the village again and the leader of The Shadow Men spotted Sineya up a tree watching the fight. They showed interest in the adolescent girl who happened to be the chief's daughter. The chief's wife told one of the shadow men that Sineya had survived 14 summers and had bled for the last three. The night came when a powerful demon attacked the village and took the life of Sineya's brothers, sisters, mother and father. Sineya had managed to escape to her hiding place in the tree when she was called to by the leader of The Shadow Men while the other two fought the demon fiercely with powerful magics. Sineya refused to leave the tree because she didn't want to abandon her family.  
The leader of the Shadow man waved his hand and she fell from the tree unconscious. Together the Shadow Men killed the demon and disappeared into the caves of the desert. Once there, they chained the girl to the ground and infused her with the essence of a powerful and Ancient demon. Some will argue that the demons essence was that of just a demon, others say it was an Old One and others come up with ridiculous hypothesis' but the truth is that all we know is that it was the essence of _a_ demon.  
Not much is known from that point on except the First Slayer received all the natural Slayer abilities only they were magnified a small sum and that she survived till her womanhood," Giles finished.

Chris was stunned, her jaw swung open and seemed absent from her brain. Her gaze fell upon the floor where she pondered the fact that inside her was the essence of a demon. "Kinda' wishing I hadn't asked," she said absentmindedly.

* * *

Willow burst angrily into the entrance hall were Nicholas was sitting enjoying a read of the morning paper. He almost churned coffee out of his nose at the sight of the frustrated witch. He folded up his newspaper and adjusted his glasses. "Tabitha?" he asked.

"Nicholas!" Willow exclaimed.

"Happy to see me are we?" he smirked.

"Cute, but like I said before, never gonna happen," Willow replied.

"Ahh, well, someday," he said. "What can I do for you?" he asked.

"I need you to help me find Amy," Willow replied.

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you to: Boris Yeltsin, Jeremy Shane, Laby Anne Boleyn and PrincessAlica for my latest reviews.  
Also thanks to a reviewer called " Alex() " who left me a great review.

My exams went really well so thank you so much for the good luck messages.  
Hope you enjoyed this chapter.  
I need to say that a small section of Giles's speech about the Old Ones is not of my own creation.  
Please review.

As always, thanks for reading.


	7. Episode 13: Chapter 3

Buffy the Vampire Slayer  
Season 8, Episode 13  
The Slayer, the Witch and the Catacombs  
Chapter 3

*Warning: swearing.  
*Diana is Faith's watcher from before she came to Sunnydale. Her identity is revealed in a novel called _Go ask Malice._ Remember I own nothing.

Faith continued down the blisteringly hot and narrow hallway keeping a watchful eye on the curious deformed silhouette she could just about make out through the dim glow of the torch lamps. She held hers high in front of her, ready and prepared for anything that may drop from above or come running from behind. She walked for minutes but never seemed to be getting any closer to the end of the hallway. She turned around and found herself inches away from the back wall of the corridor. Frustrated and confused she set off at an incredible speed with the bouncing flames inches from her face toward the figure. She seemed to be making sure but slow progress through the corridor and so with all her will she kept running.

She found herself in a dark room with a single spotlight on a statue. The glow of the spotlight, as well as gleaming upon the statue of an armoured soldier, shone onto a huge pot or podium full of wooden twigs and stacks. Faith tossed her torch light upon the podium and it roared to life. The fires burning but never consuming the wood cast a brilliant shine around the room bringing everything into view. Faith looked around at the majestic hall and took in the enormous ceiling; carved with patterns and images. "I suspect you're rather confused as to what you're doing here," called a female voice from behind the Slayer. Faith whirled around so fast it took a moment or two for her brain to keep up. Her eyes met that of an aged woman with long white hair rolling over her breasts to her upper thigh. She wore a grey gown and she smiled warmly and full-heartedly. Her soothing blue eyes tore holes into Faith's skin and she felt like the woman could see her deepest regrets and desires. "I'd forgotten how young you would be," the woman spoke again.

"Who are you?" Faith asked with a furrowed brow, ready to curl her hand into a fist if need be.

"One of many, well so it used to be, now we are scattered, fragments of ourselves, trapped in dreams and illusions," the woman replied.

"So you're some sort of smoke and mirrors bull?" Faith asked.

"No, I'm as real as you are, for now," the woman echoed throughout the dome, "but let me put it this way, I look good for my age."

"So what are you?" Faith asked.

"A guardian, part of an ancient order of woman gathered to protect women like you," she replied.

"Women like me? So either your some sort of old school parole officer or a super watcher," Faith surveyed.

"All of the above," the guardian replied ominously.

"So you know why I'm here?" Faith asked.

"You brought yourself here, but yes. This is the gauntlet…a trial or test if you will to depict whether you are worthy of becoming her vessel," the guardian spoke.

"A trial? Who's vessel? Lady you're getting **way** to heavy on the cryptic," Faith said.

"The Gauntlet begins," the guardian said. The red and orange flames of podium fire grew and roared. Suddenly three more statues appeared around the room. Faith stared remarkably at one that resembled her own figure. "Knowledge," the guardian said, "is the first test.

"First?" Faith asked as she stood aghast at her marble portrait. Faith looked away from her statue and stepped toward the one of a bearded man in heavy battle armour that she assumed was the silhouette she'd been seeing. "What now?" Faith asked the Guardian who inclined her head toward the marble statue of the soldier. "Okay, here goes nothin', _Abracadabra?_"

* * *

"Amy? Why?" Nicholas asked Willow back in the Manor's entrance hall.

"What do you mean _why_? Because she's kinda been a pain in the ass lately and it's time somebody taught her a lesson," Willow replied.

"And why should that person be you?" Nicholas asked.

"Because I'm the only one who can stop her," Willow replied.

"True, but you'll never let yourself go back to the place you need to be to stop Ms Madison, I watched you just now in the garden. You go up against Amy, you lose either way," Nicholas warned.

"How am I supposed to get over this if I keep hiding away from it, besides if I fight Amy with earth magic then I should be okay," Willow argued.

"Tabitha I just watched you incinerate a flower for god sake!" Nicholas raised his voice.

"Somebody needs to show Amy that she's not welcome here, and if you won't help me find her, I'll do it myself," Willow said as she stormed out the front door.

"Tabith-" the door closed loudly and ricochet off the walls, "-a. Damn it," Nicholas said as he grabbed his coat from the rack and followed Willow out of the door.

* * *

"What was that?" Chris asked as the front door of the manor slammed.

"Probably Xander leaving for work or something," Giles guessed.

"Right…so were where we?" Chris asked.

"A few thousand years from that point saw the making of Heinrich Joseph Nest, a scholar in a monastery in London turned vampire over 600 years ago," Giles said.

"What's so important about this guy Heinrich?" Chris asked as she fiddled with an old bracelet that hung loosely on her wrist.

"Because he later became known to the world and his followers as _The Master_," Giles replied. "The Master, even before becoming a vampire, found scriptures and scrolls depicting the existence of the Old Ones and became obsessed. Once a vampire he began something called _The Order of Aurelius_; a cult of some old and new vampires dedicated to the return of the Old Ones. Before siring countless of his kind the Master journeyed to the Sunnydale Hellmouth with every intention of opening it and releasing its hell upon this world. However opening such dimensional portals and gateways is tricky and instead The Master triggered and earthquake which swallowed him beneath the surface but above the Hellmouth. Before being staked by Buffy in 1997 he was trapped there for decades. The order contained many infamous vampires such as The Three, Luke and Darla."

"Darla?" Chris asked.

* * *

The marble statue of the soldier shattered at Faith's touch with an ear splitting crack. The marble mould dusted to the floor leaving a ghostly spirit of the soldier in its place. The spirit shimmered in the light of the podium flame. The soldier nodded in greeting to the Slayer. "This is knowledge right? So what I have to guess your name?" Faith asked.

_"__**No man has seen it**__," _the spirit boomed_, "__**but all men know it. Lighter than air, sharper than any sword, comes from nothing but will fell the strongest armies. Of what do I speak**__?"_

"Oh goodie, riddles," Faith replied. "Is there an option to pass?" Faith asked the Guardian whom shook her head in reply.

"If you _are_ the vessel, then look to yourself and repeat what is already known to you," the Guardian advised.

"Okay, here we go," Faith replied as she shut her eyes and breathed deeply separating herself from the world…or wherever she was. She felt the warm oxygen fill her lungs as she inhaled and felt the coolness of the air as she breathed out. She opened her eyes and her iris had once again turned a shade of purple. "**Hunger**," Faith replied to the ghost.

"_**Yes,**__ I was one of many consumed by the aching hunger that can never be truly satisfied until ground meets dust. I was her general…I am Hunger,"_ the spirit replied soothingly before fading into a deep blue cloud.

Faith watched wide-eyed as the spirit disappeared. Her jaw hung loosely in a constant gasp. She allowed her mask to come off for a split second before putting it back on and tying the strings in a knot. "What's next?" Faith asked the guardian casually. The woman led the Slayer to a second sculpture of a small woman bathed in jewellery and fine clothes. "Let's see what you have to say," Faith said as she caressed the forehead of the structure causing it crumble upon the ground leaving the ghostly figure of the woman instead.

"_An eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth, the debt of blood must be paid in full_," the woman echoed softly. "_Of what do I speak?_" Without having to go into her trance-like state Faith stared intently into the woman's eyes and knew exactly what she was.

"You're _vengeance_," Faith replied.

"Yes, she was supposed to protect them from the infection of hunger and night. When they fell I sought _him_ out and told him of where she was hiding. I am justice, I am vengeance, blood can only be repaid in blood," the spirit said angrily for disappearing into a black cloud. Faith was shocked at the woman's anger but thought it best not to show any emotion.

_Emotion is weakness._

She then stood in front of the third statue, however the corner of her eye kept flittering to the marble sculpture of herself; fearful of solving her own riddle. She finally took in the third statue's appearance. It was the First Slayer. Faith hesitantly reached her hand and heard that familiar crack. The First Slayers messy hair shook about her dark skinned face and neck while the rest of her body was wrapped in white rags. Although the voice that came didn't come from the First Slayers' mouth, but instead was said by the Guardian. "_Echoes of a shadow realm, whispers of things yet to come. Thoughts strange sister dwells in night but is swept away by dawning light, of what does she speak_?" The Guardian asked.

"Why're you suddenly picking up the slack?" Faith asked the guardian turning from the ghostly figure of the First Slayer.

"The Primitive has no speech," the Guardian replied. Faith turned back to the First Slayer and took a deep breath in feeling the air swirl welcomingly around her core. Her iris turned purple once again as her head spun with a sensation of dizziness.

"Dreams…right?" Faith replied.

"_Yes_," the Guardian called from behind her but Faith remained in constant eye-contact with her mother Slayer, "_I came to her in a dream like I do for so many of my kind. I warned her of his coming and that her efforts of defence were not enough.  
I am sacrifice, I am instinct, I am death_," the guardian finished as the first Slayer disappeared like all the others.

Faith had been dreading this part of the task. She'd considered outright refusing to carry on and demanding to be taken back to the manor but Faith had never quit at anything in her life and facing up to what she saw in the mirror everyday terrified her, but she wasn't going to start now. She stepped in front of herself and was encouraged by the guardian to begin. Once again she breathed deeply and touched the tips of her fingers to the arm of the statue and it crumbled to pieces. She was left staring at a physical reflection of herself five years younger. Her hair was shorter and darker, her eyes were darkened with heavy mascara and her lips where bathed in black lip stick. She wore leather pants and a leather jacket over a white heavy metal band t-shirt that she didn't even listen to anymore. She never even remembered liking the band; she just thought it made her look cool. Unlike all the other statues, when this one crumbled it didn't reveal a spirit, but in fact the High School Faith was as real as the stone of the walls.

"_A poison of the soul, passion's cruel counterpart. From Love she grows till love lies slain. Of what do I speak_?" Faith was asked. The echo of her own voice instead of the eerie cries of the others chilled her emotional wall frozen leaving it vulnerable to smashing. Faith was about to do her knowledge ritual once again when she was interrupted by the sound of her own voice. "_C'mon you really don't know what's going on here? Pathetic. Y'know I thought we were better than this but heck you never were good with the old noodle were you?" _taunted Faith number 2. "_Mom knew it, Diana knew it, The Mayor knew it, and Buffy knows it-"_

"Shut up," Faith warned.

"_There's my girl. Still in there aren't we, love? Who are you trying to fool with this goody goody attitude? Nobody believes it, they can all see right through it. You can't be Buffy no matter how hard you try.  
They'll never accept you.  
They'll never treat you as a friend no matter how many times you save their asses.  
They'll never see you as anything else but a killer."_

"Make it go away," Faith pleaded to the Guardian who shied from eye contact.

"_Time was if you wanted something you took it Faith, you want me to go away then do something about it. But I'll always be with you. I'm that voice in your head that tells you to ignore the call of the innocent as their sorry ass is being eaten somewhere, that voice that tells you not to take your head out of the water when your in the tub doing all you can to wipe your hands clean of the trail of blood you've carried with you miles long. Don't cry about it! Do something about it!  
What am I Faith! __**What the fuck am I**__!"_

**"Jealousy!"** Faith wailed in reply with her hands in fists and the sting of tears behind her eyes. The cunning grin of her younger counterpart faded and became serious.

"_Yes, we are the thing that Golden Buffy won't allow herself to become. We are the runt of the lineage, the murderous and grieving soul of a killer. Jealousy and longing is all we are." _The younger Slayer inclined her head and her hair fell over her face before disappearing all together.

* * *

"Where are you going?" Nicholas called to Willow as she made her way determinedly down the private roads and into the busy city of Cleveland.

"To find Amy," Willow replied keeping eye contact with the world ahead and not the attractive man to the side.

"How?" Nicholas asked.

"I make it 10 am, she should be in work by now," Willow replied.

"She was sacked last week" Nicholas said britishly. Willow stopped abruptly.

"Oh, well then I guess I'll just go to her apartment or something," Willow said starting up again.

"In a city this big? Face it Tabitha you're walking down a dead end," Nick warned.

"Actually I think I know just who to pump for information," Willow replied. Through the corner of her eye she saw the corner of Nicholas's mouth twinge into a suggestive grin.

"God you're like a dog with a bone," Willow scolded.

"You've got that right," Nicholas replied trying to keep up with the witch.

"Eww…never gunna' happen Nick," Willow replied.

"So where are we going?" Nicholas asked as Willow turned the keys in Giles's car.

"We?" Willow replied.

"I'm not letting you go alone, especially after what happened to Mr Giles last week. You might need my talented yet small knowledge of the arts to help," Nick told.

"Fine, whatever, just get in the car," Willow ordered.

"So who's the target?" Nick asked again as he crashed out of the Manor's iron gates with Willow at great speed.

The two stumbled into the magic shop determinedly as they locked eyes with all of the curious customers. Willow looked at the wreckage of her fight with Amy's mother that was still yet to be fixed. Some customers walked out as soon as Willow walked through the threshold. "Can I help you?" asked a pimply teenage boy from behind the counter.

"Where's Ernie?" Willow replied.

"He's taken the day off but he'll be back tomorrow morning," the kid replied nervously.

"To bad, but maybe you can help me," Willow replied as she made her way behind the counter.

"Hey!" the boy began, "you're not supposed to be back here-". The boy was interrupted by Willows' hand gripping around his neck and shoving his head down onto the glass counter. He wriggled to get free but Willow just applied more pressure. Customers fled the store while Nicholas stood with arms folded nervously by the threshold.

"I'm looking for a girl about yay high, brown hair, maybe you've seen her?" Willow asked calmly.

* * *

Authors Note: Firstly I just want to spread the word about the Japanese tsunami. Rest in peace to all the victums and I pray that those trapped or injured are rescued soon.

Thank you to Boris Yeltsin and Jeremy Shane for reviewing my last chapter. The last chapter of the 13th episode will be up soon. I've noticed I'm not getting as many reviews as I used to in my previous episodes, is it the story you don't like or is something wrong with my writing? Please let me know.

As always, thank you for reading.


	8. Episode 13: Chapter 4

Buffy the Vampire Slayer  
Season 8, Episode 13  
The Slayer, the Witch and the Catacombs  
Chapter 4

"Yes, Darla, born in the British Isles in the late 1500's who journeyed to the British Virginia Colony where she became extremely wealthy making her living as a prostitute," Giles said to Chris back in the library. "However in 1609, Darla contracted a fatal case of syphilis and lay dying in her death bed. The Master came to her in the form of a priest where he sired her into a vampire and gave her the name Darla. It's not written anywhere what her human name was. Darla became like a daughter to the Master and together with the Order of Aurelius they terrorized the New World and several other countries for around 200 years," Giles said.

"So is the chick dead or-"

"Let me finish. By 1753, Darla was out exploring the world and wreaking havoc when fate brought her to a village in county Galway, Ireland. There she found a handsome young man named Liam, who was drinking and whoring his way through a rather uneventful life. Admiring him from afar, Darla lured Liam into an alley where she sired him, and Liam became Angelus. Angelus and Darla eventually left the Order and began their undead lives together where Angelus set his sights on the daughter of a British lord who claimed to have the sight in 1860 called Drusilla. Drusilla thought her ability to often foresee the future was the work of the devil and sought to enter a nunnery. Angel and Darla kept an ever watchful eye on the girl and when the day came for Drusilla to take her Holy Orders she was abducted and driven insane by the two vampires. Angelus made the decision to sire the girl and over the next two decades they tore through Europe leaving a bloody trail a mile long," Giles said.

"This Angelus guy, it's not Angel…is it?" Chris winced.

"I'm afraid so," Giles replied.

"But if he was so evil, such a legend, then why is he so-"

"Good?" Giles cut in, "I was getting to that. In 1880 London, Drusilla set her sights on a meek young poet named William. Like her _'grand sire_' Darla, she lured the poet into an alley where she sired him and so the terrorism of vampires began. Cutting a deadly slice through Europe and America until in 1898 Romania when Angelus fed of the daughter of a powerful tribe of Gypsies. They thought of the perfect punishment for the vampire and thusly restored his soul .Given a conscience; Angelus was sentenced to eternal suffering. Darla, sensing Angel's restored humanity kicked him out and threatened that if she ever saw him again, she'd 'stake him. Angel rejoins Darla, Drusilla and William now known as William the Bloody or Spike in the Boxer rebellion were Spike kills his first Slayer. When Angel refuses to feed from a newborn baby Darla kicks him out once again and not much is known from the point on except that they all went their separate ways. Darla journeyed back to the Master where he welcomed her back with open arms, Angel went to America and lived on the blood of sewer rats and Drusilla and Spike continued their way of life on their own," Giles finished telling.

"What happened to Darla, is she dead?" Chris asked.

"She was killed by Angel in 1997 but it's a very very long story Chris," Giles said tired.

"What about Drusilla?" Chris asked.

"She's very much alive, just off somewhere we don't know about," Giles replied.

"It's just so strange how Angel and Spike went from being so evil to trying to run Wolfram & Hart for the greater good," Chris said.

"Well Angel works for Wolfram & Hart, his status on good and evil is something of debate-wait, what do you mean Spike's at Wolfram & Hart?" Giles asked confused with a terrifying stare.

_ Crap_ Chris thought.

* * *

Willow continued to thrust the adolescents head onto the glass counter as he writhed to get free. "Lots'a girls come in here, you're going to have to be more specific," the kid cried. Willow found his hand worming under the counter for Ernie's protective Hex bags. Willow's eyes widened and she sent a signal to Nicholas with a jerk of her eyes. He twirled his fingers in a circular motion and the hex bags were conjured into his hands.

"Naughty," Nicholas said to the clerk as he tutted and waved his finger from left to right. "Tell the good woman what you know and we'll be out of your hair in no time."

"Where can I find Amy?" Willow repeated.

"**Alright!** Jeez lady," the kid said. Willow released her hold from his skull and stepped back. "She comes in here every few days, tall, brown hair, works at Wolfram & Hart? She buys all this funky stuff that I can't even spell and she's been coming in with this guy in a suit this past week," the kid said as she fiddled through a stack of papers by the register. He handed Willow and Nick Amy's recent receipts.

"These are powerful ingredients, any idea what she's doing with them?" Nick asked the witch.

"Not a clue," Willow replied.

"She was in here late last night, she had something to delivered to this address," the pimply teen handed Willow a notepad with an address written in black ink.

"What did she have delivered?" Willow asked.

"Some sort of conjuring pot. Ernie's had it in the back for ages, majorly heavy," the kid said.

"Thanks…and sorry for the whole y'know…violence," Willow said as she stuffed the address in her jeans' pocket.

"Ah don't worry about it," the kid replied with a false smile.

"You know where this is?" Willow asked Nicholas.

"Yes, but it's not in the _nicest_ part of town," he replied.

"So we'll lock the car, what's the matter?" she asked.

"Nothing, just cautious is all. Let's go," he smiled falsely.

* * *

As the black cloud faded Faith unclenched her body and did her best to relax. She loosened her shoulders and cracked her neck and fingers before turning back to the guardian who seemed to be surveying her from head to toe with a curious expression. Her attention was caught by the opening of a huge stone door which revealed yet another fire torch lit hallway. The roaring fire of the hall dimmed completely until only the burning embers of Faith's own fire torch that she'd thrown onto the podium was the only source of light. The guardian had disappeared too. Faith grabbed her torch from the podium and held it in her quivering hand. With one more glance at the spot where her rogue Slayer self stood, she moved on through the gauntlet. She walked through the corridor and chanced a second glance behind her to find no doors, no hallway, just a stone wall carved beautifully.

She found herself in yet another huge dome with the familiar large podium stacked with wooden twigs. She exhaled heavily and debated whether beginning the task or going back. Realising there was no _back_ to go, she lazily thrust the torch into the embers and they burst into life. Faith looked around the room and stared wide-eyed at the gruesome sight she was seeing. Around the circular dome, tied to the ceiling in chains where four demons spread equally out. "**Endurance** is the second task," the guardian appeared behind the burning podium.

"Peachy," Faith mumbled. She saw the chains around the first demon loosen. It was a male vampire in denim jeans and a white t-shirt. "Wait!" Faith exclaimed. The chains tightened back again. "I'm not doing any more of your tasks until you tell me what the hell is going on here," Faith ordered.

"This is the Gauntlet," The Guardian said confused.

"Yeah, got that part, why am I in it?" Faith asked.

"To test whether you are worthy of becoming her vessel in the coming battle," the Guardian replied bluntly.

"I got that part too, but I just got through one major battle, barely, not so much ready for another one. Plus, I never signed on to be no chicks' vessel," Faith objected.

"When you touched the Dream Catcher, the transformation began, whether the Guardians will allow it to finish is up to you," the aged woman told.

"_Transformation?_" Faith asked. She then realised what had been happening to her lately, her crazy new kick ass abilities, training all night and not getting tired, moving through planes without red's help; it all made sense. "Don't I get a choice?" Faith asked.

"There's always a choice my dear," the Guardian smiled. Faith was about to say something more, ask more questions, get more answers, but the chains restraining the vampire to the wall fell to the stone ground and he hit it heavily. He got up to his feet and shook the dust out of his shaggy blond hair.

* * *

Willow and Nicholas parked on a graffiti ridden sidewalk next to a tower of apartments that blocked the late morning sunshine from blessing the street with something bright. "You feel that?" Nicholas asked Willow.

"Yeah," Willow furrowed her brow.

"She's up to something," Nicholas announced.

* * *

Amy placed the heavy pot on her second hand coffee table and poured in the ingredients she'd bought from the magic shop yesterday. Her apartment was nothing flashy but it was still a nice place to live. Two bedroom, one bathroom, big living room and fully stocked kitchen. Although since Amy had been fired from Wolfram & Hart she'd had to sell some things to keep herself a float on rent. Nice apartment like that in a neighbourhood like that didn't come cheap. "Are you sure this will work?" asked a cleanly shaven brown shaggy haired man in a dark suit who sat relaxed on Amy's sofa.

"I did what it says in the book you gave me, so it should work," Amy stammered.

"Should? Should isn't good enough!" the mystery man from the cemetery scolded.

"Alright! Jeez, it'll work! Why do you want this thing anyway?" Amy asked.

"Because if the Slayer and her girls get it they will earn the upper hand, and we can't have that can we?" the man asked sarcastically.

"Well I've seen you use magic before, why do you need me to do the spell?" Amy asked.

"Let's just call it a conflict of interest okay?" the man said getting frustrated.

"Whatever, but if I do this spell for you, you'll give me my money and help me get out of this godforsaken city?" Amy asked.

"I gave you my word did I not?" the man eyed her.

"Just making sure," Amy said defensively. Amy dropped the last ingredient into the mixture and it began to smoke over the stone corners. "Do you have the vial of Slayer blood?" she asked.

"Of course," the man replied as he tossed Amy a small vial of Faith's blood that he'd gotten from his vampire goons last night. She poured the vials' contents into the pot and the smoke turned a brilliant white. Amy recited the incantation from the book in an old language over and over until the mixture began to bubble. "There, the spell is complete," Amy announced.

"I don't see it," the man said suspiciously.

"Give it a minute or two, this is a powerful spe- somebody's coming," Amy interrupted herself. "Willow."

"You dare bring the Slayer's witch here? Now?" the man asked angrily.

"Relax! I got this!" Amy replied.

"You better," the man said as he disappeared in a cloud of black smoke and lightning flashes.

An invisible force pulled Amy's front door of its hinges and sent it shooting down the hallway. Amy stood in front ready for the fair haired witch to enter but was shocked to see the attractive man wearing sunglasses, a blue shirt and pants enter her home. He walked in casually, twiddling his finger playfully and looked inquisitively around the room. "Who the hell are you?" Amy asked. Nicholas shot an indecisive glance at the bubbling cesspit on top of the wooden coffee table. Nicholas' head turned to the doorless threshold where Willow entered confidently.

"He's with me," Willow replied.

"Come to gang up on me huh?" Amy asked.

"Y'know it didn't have to be this way," Willow argued.

"Actually I like it this way," Amy replied.

"Let stop the witty banter and do what we came here to do," Nicholas objected.

"And what's that? Kill me?" Amy asked.

"If we have to," Nicholas grinned, "but Tabitha wouldn't have it, so we settled for stripping your powers instead," he said.

"You can try," Amy said as she outstretched her arms at her two opponents and they were sent hurtling into the dry wall.

* * *

The Vampire ran at Faith will all its power. It rebounded off the walls and caught the Slayer square in the jaw. Faith fell to her left but supported her self up, she swirled her right leg around and caught the vamp in the chest winding him. She went for him again with a scissor kick, one foot in the chest, one in the face. The vampire fell to the floor with a back cracking smash but he recovered quickly as he attempted to sweep Faith's legs out from under her. She jumped high into the air dodging his sweeping attack and the vampire took the opportunity to get to his feet. She landed a hefty back hand punch to the face which sent him spinning to the ground. She looked for a stake but the only wood was in the fire. She collided her bare foot with the vamps face as she swiftly thrust her arms in the flame to get a charred slice of wood. The flames caressed the skin of her arm and as she pulled it out the stinging sensation was far from bearable. However she gathered her strength and knelt to the ground and ploughed the vamps chest full of wood. He dusted angrily but quickly.

Without a break the second creature was released. This time it was an ugly female demon stark nude with green skin and blood red eyes. She collided her fists together and they ignited with fire. "Let's get it on sparky," Faith mocked. Faith dodged a fiery punch and came around to the demons back. She shot her foot to the demon's back and it was pushed forward onto all fours. Faith leapt onto its back, stabbing the creature in the neck with her small stake but it wasn't taking effect. The demon grabbed Faith by the shoulders and hauled her to the ground and began a fury of punches. Faith took them all, unable to block even one until she saw the opportunity to kick the bitch in the chest. Faiths' face stung with the heat of the demons fiery hands. The demon stumbled backward and Faith grabbed it by the thread of it's messy dark hair. She held the demons face over the flames of the podium and endured even more of the dancing flames on her skin. Moments later the demons face was melted completely and just to be sure Faith wrapped her hands around its neck and felt it snap.

The third creature, a winged bat-like demon landed onto the floor and broke it's four stem-like legs with a shattering crunch. Faith, burnt and covered in blood, was thankful for this as she grabbed her charred stake from the body of the green demon and launched herself at the bat. However, she didn't account for its wings. She was whacked with the force of the huge, thin and leather-like wings and was sent on her ass sprawling to the ground. The bat attempted to get itself into the air but the pain in its broken legs was made obvious by its screams. It managed to get into the air but lucky for Faith; it fell into the podium fire and burnt to death.

Lastly, the fourth demon, a fully grown hellhound landed gracefully on the floor. Tired, sore and royally pissed off, Faith took a chance and through the stake at the hellhound. It ran right into the pointy end of the wood and got a face full of it. Its skull was shattered with the impact and blood spurted out from its ears onto the stone of the ground.

The guardian nodded approvingly before disappearing and taking the life of the podium lit flames with her. Faith was left alone on the bloody stone of the second task hall with the only source of light coming from down the third corridor and from her fire torch. She shakily got to her feat, grabbed the torch, and headed down the corridor.

* * *

Willow had been fighting Amy with the power of the earth's four main elements, fire, water, earth and wind while Amy went with the older fashioned dark mojo. Nicholas was busy fighting through a mini black tornado while Willow was being chocked by Dark tendrils that oozed into her body via her nose and ears. Amy struggled to maintain the conjuring spell as she battled the witch and warlock. Nicholas dispelled the tornado and glanced at the pot Amy was defending.

Out of the murky liquid rose an immaculate silver sword with a golden hilt with the initials C.B at the beginning of the sword.

Nicholas spotted a man in a suit appear into view behind Amy. Amy, who hadn't noticed the man or Nicholas break free, continued to battle Willow whose hair was becoming increasingly dark. The man was about to seize the hilt when Nicholas clicked his fingers and created a spark that sent the man flying from his cane into the dry wall. Nick rolled forward, took Amy off her feet and seized the sword in his hand feeling great strength and power.

Willow got to her feat, with her eyes, hair and veins completely black.

She was about to go for the weakened Amy when Nicholas threw the sword to her.  
She caught it in her hand and her hair went from black to red in an instant, her eyes cleared and her veins vanished. Nicholas smiled at the beautiful witch before feeling a pushing sensation from behind. He was sent shooting into a loose shard of glass from Amy's mirror and it went right through the right of his stomach.

Seeing Willow in possession of the sword, the man vanished in his usual manor. Willow rushed to Nick's side while Amy got to her feat and conjured a hefty fireball.

"**Sermonia minerva saypio sayperay saypsay saypio impedimentum!" **With the gleaming sword in hand, Willow conjured a powerful barrier without even getting dark roots. Amy's fireball ricocheted off of it and hit her in the chest sending her meters back along her carpet into an unconscious state. Nick's wound began pouring with blood.

"The man," he slurred. Willow glanced around the room.

"He's gone, c'mon, we need to get you to a hospital," Willow replied.

* * *

Faith stepped into the third dome bloody and beaten. She instinctively tossed the torch onto the podium and it roared to life like all the others. However the third room wasn't a dome, but another corridor. The guardian appeared in front of Faith and she placed her hand on the Slayer's forehead. Faith felt a sudden warmth and the pain of her injuries vanished. "Thanks I guess," Faith said.

"You have one more trial to complete," the guardian replied.

"Then you'll let me out'a this joint?" Faith asked.

"**Acceptance**," the guardian boomed ignoring the Slayer's question; "is the final test."

"Huh?" Faith asked puzzled. The guardian inclined her head further down the corridor where several wall torches burst into ignition. To Faith's right, a portal opened with a flash of purple light, through it she could make out the afternoon glow of the sun in the manor's basement. Through the dancing flames of the corridor however, Faith saw something that shook her to her core. It hung on the back of the corridor in the centre of a large pentagram; A Dream Catcher. "What the hell is this?" Faith asked.

"This my child is the part where you make a choice, but make the wrong decision and he will be here much faster than she will…and all might be lost," the Guardian warned.

"You're saying all this, was just to prove that I'm able to be possessed…by some cryptic chick who needs to hurry the hell up because this other dude is threatening to do something bad?" Faith asked exasperated.

"Yes," the guardian replied, "and you proved yourself well my dear."

"What happens to _me_ if I do this?" Faith asked. The guardian shifted her eyes from Faith's brown enticing iris' giving the Slayer the answer she needed. "Ohh," Faith replied bluntly. "Well who's the girl?" Faith asked.

"I don't have the authority to say," the Guardian said.

"C'mon, if nothing I think I've earned the right to now who wants to infect my body," Faith objected.

"Her names is-**was**…Cassandra," the Guardian told.

* * *

Buffy and Willow stood in the corridor of Cleveland Clinic Hospital outside Nicholas's room where he lay unconscious and bandaged. Buffy and Willow stood at the window both looking concerned as they gazed at the injured man on the other side of the glass. Buffy began, "Will-"

"Buff-" Willow interrupted.

The two women laughed awkwardly. "Sorry, you first," Willow offered.

"What the hell happened today? It's only just passed noon and Faith is missing, Xander's depressed, you've been beaten to a pulp and Nicholas is in the hospital with a nasty stab wound. What the hell did I miss?" Buffy asked.

Willow spent the next few moments telling Buffy everything that had happened to her that day going into detail about Amy, the cemetery vampire guy and the sword and how she reverted back to her old self once again.

"Well it didn't take right? I mean I don't see any veins or dark roots," Buffy smiled falsely.

"No I know, but without that sword, whatever it is, I wouldn't be standing here talking to you right now and Nick could've died today," Willow objected.

"So the cane guy was scared of the sword?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah. But Nick-"

"The doctors say Nicholas is gonna be fine-"

"But what if he wasn't? It's my fault he was even at Amy's' place today, if something would've happened to him…I need help Buffy," Willow said fighting back tears.

"Okay, well we'll get Giles on it, maybe the covern and even Lorne-"

"No it won't work not this time," Willow cut in.

"Well what then Will?" Buffy asked worried for her best friend.

"I need you to call Riley," Willow said.

* * *

Authors Note: Thank you to Boris Yeltsin, Jeremy Shane, twin who likes to travel and PrincessAlica for reviewing my last chapter.

So, does Cassandra sound familiar in the story? Who's the mystery man and what does he want with this sword? What's going to happen now that Giles knows about Spike? What choice did Faith make? And why does Willow need Riley's help getting better? Keep reading to find out… (Hopefully you want to keep reading.)

I decided to make this episode less about Buffy and more about her scoobies, just for a change, that's why she's only in two scenes in the entire episode.

The next episode will begin during the coming week.

Thank you for Reading, as always.


	9. Episode 14: Chapter 1

Buffy the Vampire Slayer  
Season 8, Episode 14  
What's on the Inside?  
Chapter 1

*Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with Buffy the Vampire Slayer or the Buffyverse, I am just a fan.

*Summary: Willow, with the help of Riley Finn, journeys to Central America to seek out the Shaman's that Sam, Riley's wife, spoke of a few years back to see if they can help her with her struggle to remain good, meanwhile back home Katie Higgins' plans to throw an elaborate house party to beef her social status back up after being absent from school for the last couple weeks. Dawn, being the typical teenager, begs a sceptical Buffy into letting her go, but Katie has a secret even she doesn't know about.  
Xander, after a week of soul searching about his relationship with Anya, plucks up the courage to ask Julie out but things take a bad turn when their date is abruptly interrupted.

Willow sat at her window seat overlooking the Cliffside watching the sunset over the lake feeling a whirlwind of different emotions; mostly worry and fear. She remembered the last time she left the manor alone and shuddered at the thought of it ever happening again. The last wisp of the circular sun was swallowed by the lake and the sky began to change to a shade of pink, orange and dark blue. She exhaled heavily and stroked a stray strand of hair behind her ears before tearing her gaze from the film lake scenery that could be witnessed from her bedroom window. She looked to the emptiness of her room. Her Wardrobe doors stood open blocking the door from view and the bedside table lay bare. A knock on the door caught the witch's attention. Willow got up from her window seat and put the pillow back in its proper place. She twisted her hand around the knob of the door and pulled revealing a thin blonde woman in a brown blouse and combat pants with her arms relaxing comfortably by her side. "You all packed?" Buffy asked.

"Just some last minute essentials, my toothbrush and cell phone to throw in my duffle bag but mostly, yeah, all set," Willow said with a crackly voice. Willow invited Buffy into her room where they both took a seat on the end of her silk sheet covered bed.

"Do you think you'll get cell reception down there?" Buffy asked.

"Dunno, maybe, just to be safe," Willow said.

"Will-"

"Buffy don't," Willow interrupted her. Buffy looked at her friend in confusion. "I know what you're going to say," Willow said.

"I just don't want you to get your hopes up; Sam did say that in the jungle they had two hardcore Shamans working for them…and that there was nothing left. I just don't want you to go all that way to find nothing is all," Buffy warned warmly.

"I guess, but maybe time away from the manor might do me some good too," Willow smiled.

"Maybe," Buffy said grabbing her friend by the hand and holding it in hers.

Comfortable silence filled the room. Buffy was extremely worried but she tried as hard as she could not to show it. She feared that Willow would find the Shamans, but whatever was left of them wouldn't be good. She was also worried about seeing Riley again after what he witnessed back in Sunnydale two years ago in Spike's crypt. Willow pulled her hand from Buffys' and threw the last minute essentials into her duffle bag while Buffy helped carry her other bag down stairs.

They stood in the entrance hall; her, Willow and Xander, in comfortable silence. "When is Riley supposed to be here?" Xander asked.

"He called this morning and said he'd be by around 6," Willow replied.

"You sure you wana do this Will? I mean it's not too late to back out," Buffy offered.

"No it's fine, I need this," Willow replied.

Xander began, "You run into trouble-"

"I'll run like hell," Willow replied.

The walls of the manor began to shake from the foundations to the roof. The jug of water Andrew had set out on the dining room table began to shake and the long drapes over the curtains swayed calmly over the wooden floor of the room. The sound of flapping mechanical wings filled the ears of the occupants of the Manor.  
Willow looked through the drapes to find a sleek black helicopter casually parked on the Manor's front lawn. "I guess that's my cue huh?" Willow said nervously as she threw her back backpack over her shoulder and picked her duffle bag up from the floor. She walked to the door and opened it slightly but enough to let the loud roar of the helicopter spread like an infection in the walls of the Mansion.

"Be safe," Buffy called to her.

"You too," she replied as she nodded friendlily at Xander who returned the gesture with a smile.

Willow shut the door of the manor tightly and stepped onto the front porch in her white coat, jeans, boots and luggage. She cast a wide glance across the dark scene in front of her and managed to make out the tall and well toned figure of a man she once knew. He stood proudly with his hands in light fists behind his back while wearing what Willow assumed to be his special ops government gear. She descended the few steps onto the pavement of the front lawn and walked toward the helicopter while trying deal with the masses of hair that spun and swirled aggressively around her face and shoulders.  
Riley Finn smiled warmly at his old friend as he gentlemanly took her bags from her and tossed them into a compartment of the helicopter. "It's good to see you!" he shouted over the roar of the machine.

"You too!" Willow exclaimed back. Riley stood aside to allow Willow into the Helicopter. She chanced a glance back at the manor and told herself that no matter what, she would come back safe and sound. She pulled herself together and loaded into the leather seat and was instructed by the driver to wear the dark blue headgear with a microphone receiver on the end, she did this willingly as she tied a belt around her waist.  
Riley was about to climb in when he noticed the familiar blond looking out the biggest window he'd ever seen. Seeing Buffy brought back so many fond and hard memories, he noticed the life drained from the rose colour cheeks he remembered. Her glistening green eyes tore holes in his skin as she saluted him through the glass of the window. He smiled and did the same back before taking a seat next to Willow in the helicopter.  
Riley gave the driver a thumbs up as he closed the door of the machine. The wings on the roof of the helicopter began to pick up their pace as they spun creating an ear shattering roar.

Willow felt a jolt beneath her feet and before she knew it, the Manor was just a spec beneath her. The lights of the manor window were all that was noticeable in the empty abyss of the Cliffside and the Lake. Willow tore her nervous gaze from the window and set it onto Riley. "So…how've you been?" Willow asked.

"Well I got divorced and demoted, you?" he replied.

"I went evil and tried to destroy the world," Willow replied bluntly.

"You win," Riley said wide eyed at his old friend.

"Thank you for y'know…coming with me on this," Willow said.

"Hey no problem, besides it was either this or tracking a corrupt or possibly possessed senator," Riley smiled.

"Feeling the love in this room," Willow mumbled.

"I'm sorry?" Riley asked.

"I said I hope we get there soon," Willow grinned falsely.

"Oh," he said back.

"So you and Sam, divorced huh?" Willow asked.

"Another time," Riley replied defensively.

* * *

Dawn walked self-consciously out of the girls' locker room after gym and headed for the water fountain. She cradled her neck delicately around the tap and swallowed the cold and refreshing liquid as she held her hair behind her ears. She pulled her head back to its usual height and began to walk to the quad to catch up on some homework for her next period. She found Chase sitting in his usual casual school wear sitting alone around a table with his nose in a math book under the protection of a maroon umbrella that stood in the tables' centre. She tossed her bag onto the table and took a seat opposite him. "Hey," he greeted.

"Hey," she replied. "Check out the book worm," she teased.

"Yeah well coach says I need to keep my C average if I wana keep playing basketball," Chase said.

"Well I had this really cool tutor a few years back who taught me a bunch'a stuff. Maybe you could come over and we could study for Thursday's midterm?" Dawn offered.

"What about your sister? I mean she's cool and everything but I don't think she likes me very much," Chase said.

"Buffy? I know she's not great with first impressions but she'll be totally cool with it," Dawn said.

"You sure?" he asked.

"Positive," she beamed.

"Cool, I'll come by around 6 and we'll get started tonight…unless you have plans?" he winced.

"To have plans I would need friends, and to have friends would mean people would have to like me…which they don't," Dawn laughed falsely.

"You have the girls from your house, doesn't your sister run some sort of orphanage?" Chase asked.

"Something like that yeah. But s'not the same," Dawn said as she twiddled her fingers in her lap.

"Hey," Chase said as he reached over the table and tilted Dawn's head up so that she would meet his gaze, "they're just jealous."

"Now you sound like my sister," Dawn smiled. Chase laughed as he closed his book and put it in his backpack.

"Besides, Natalie's your friend right?" Chase said referring to the light haired girl who seemed to be deep in conversation with a group of people who listened intently. Dawn looked at Natalie curiously.

"Natalie's friends with everybody," Dawn said as she turned back around. "That's why her hairs so big, it's full of secrets!" she muttered jokingly. Chase smiled warmly at the girl in front of him.

Chase began, "So tonight-"

"**You guys!**" Natalie interrupted as she budged Dawn over on the bench and nearly onto the ground.

"Oh, Hey Natalie," Dawn said.

"Did you hear?" Natalie asked eagerly; her silver hoop earrings glowing in the morning sunshine.

"About what?" Chase asked.

"Katie Higgins!" Natalie blurted out.

"What about her?" Dawn asked.

"Well she's back," Natalie said confused.

"So?" Dawn asked confused.

"She just disappeared last month without a word! Her and her family just up and left!" Natalie said excitedly.

"I heard they all contracted some sort of new disease," Chase said.

"Hardly," Natalie said proudly, "I heard she went on Vacy with the fam in Italy where she was signed as a model," Natalie said as she chewed her gum loudly.

"So where is she?" Chase asked.

"Fischer's office. She's totally pissed that Katie was absent this whole time," Natalie replied.

"So where _has_ she been?" Chase asked concerned.

"Don't know, but I promise when I do you'll be the first to know Chasey," Natalie winked as she blew the boy a kiss and fled from the table.

"Well isn't she a breath of fresh air," Dawn said sarcastically.

"Total gossip snob but hey, every school has one right?" Chase asked.

"I guess-Hey isn't that Katie over there coming across the quad?" Dawn asked.

Dawn watched as the most glamorous and pretty teenage girl she'd ever seen strutted confidently across the stone floor of the High School Quad in beautiful _Gucci_ heels with an equally expensive _Gucci_ bag. Her eyes were hidden behind large tinted sunglasses that were tucked behind her ears under a mass of unbelievably straight and long blonde hair. Students' heads turned to watch the High School Queen B return to her throne. Heck, Natalie nearly had a gossip-gasm. Dawn couldn't help but think that through the glass of Katie's glasses, she was tearing holes in Dawns' skin. And what was worse was that Katie seemed to be heading straight for her and Chases' table with a stack of white envelopes. "Hey Chase," Katie beamed. "Dawn," she added plainly.

"Hi Katie," Dawn said as she avoided eye contact by taking a sip of her milkshake.

"Katie, hey," Chase stammered. "How are you?" he asked.

"I'm going to start charging people money for asking me that," Katie said as she, like Natalie who stood and watched in awe, budged Dawn nearly off of the bench and onto the ground. "So here's the skinny, Dad left Mom for his secretary so Mom totally freaks and boinks the first art dealer she can find and he happened to be from Italy. So Mom played the midlife crisis card for a month and now we're back. Nothing major and spread the word for me could ya? Would totally be a huge help," Katie smirked angelically.

"Of course," Chase said in a way that nearly made Dawn want to spew on Katie's pricey jeans or punch the bitch in the face.

"So what's with the stack of papers?" he asked her.

"Oh these?" she replied trying to act innocent, "just invitations to a little party I'm throwing tonight at my place. And before you ask of course you're invited," Katie turned to Dawn, "you too," she said in a separate tone of voice.

"Gee, thanks," Dawn said sarcastically as they were handed their invitations.

"So I guess I'll se you tonight?" Katie asked sweetly.

"Count on it," Chase complied as Katie got up from the bench and strutted toward 3rd period.

"I thought we had plans?" Dawn asked.

"We do?" he asked confused.

"Yeah, made very recently, me, you, my house, studying?" Dawn hinted.

"God I totally spaced," he said. "But y'know this could be better? A good party is just what you need, you could mingle and make friends-"

"Your making me sound like I'm a charity case on my first day of High School," Dawn exhaled.

"Come on babe, this could be fun," he smiled that wide half-smile Dawn loved to see because it made her innards melt. "What d'ya say?" he pushed.

"Alright fine," Dawn gave in.

"Awesome, see ya tonight?" he asked as he rose from his seated position and started off toward 3rd period too.

"Count on it," she lied calling after him. She waited until he was out of earshot to mumble, "If I can convince Buffy into letting me go."

* * *

"So what d'ya say? Can I go?" Dawn asked her sister in the manor training room that afternoon.

"No," Buffy replied bluntly as she began laying into a punch bag with her fists.

* * *

Riley and Willow arrived in Central America after a full day's helicopter travel. They unloaded their stuff from the helicopter into a clearing in the jungle and took out their flash lights as the sun was about to set. They covered their ears and watched as the helicopter began its flight to a safer environment on the edges of Mexico. The sounds coming from inside the jungle sounded like something out of a yoga instructors CD cabinet. Tweeting and croaking and chirping and swaying was all that could be heard once the spinning wings of the sleek machine were out of earshot.  
Riley suggested they continue through the jungle to find a place to rest for the night before they went searching for the natives in the morning. "What's wrong with here? I like here, it's open and flat and not at all crawling with god knows what," Willow tried to smile convincingly.

"Willow, _we're_ trying to find the natives, not the other way around. So let's not make it easier for them by hiding out it plain sight," Riley said as he hauled two bags, one of Willows' and one of his own, onto his back and pointed his flashlight toward the overgrown growth that was the jungle. "This way," he ordered.

"Hiding in plain sight? Hiding? What is there to hide from? If these people helped you capture demons then they can't be all bad," Willow sad as she struggled to keep up with him.

"Actually we saved their tribe from a swarm of Sovalti demons and they weren't big on thanks…besides, the helicopter probably caught their attention if they're hunting on the edge of the jungle," Riley said.

"Let's hope they chose today to sleep in," Willow laughed sheepishly.

Riley took a cleaver from his cargo pants pocket and cut a swab in the feeble but numerous walls of the jungle. Seeing as the sun had completely left the scene, the only source of light was coming from the beautiful full moon over head and the flashlights of the two explorers. Willow tried to keep her flashlight strained steadily on the back of Riley's black jumper for fear of shining it on something she didn't want to see. The ground beneath her boots squelched with every step and she could feel the moisture of the soil seeping through her shoes to her socks. She ducked under branches and stepped over animal burrows to try to keep up with the solider ahead.  
She chanced a glance above her head to see the eerily bright moon beam its rays through the tall trees of the jungle. "How you doing back there?" Riley whispered.

"Like a stroll in the park," Willow replied as she attempted to tie her hair back.

* * *

Authors Note: Thank you to: e m. l b h, Boris Yeltsin, Jeremy Shane, Laby Anne Boleyn and Calilily for reviewing my last chapter.

I'm sorry this chapter took a while longer, busy at school, homes an uncomfortable place to be lately and I just never really found the time. I'm sorry if this chapter isn't my best work but I just wanted to begin the episode. The basic gist of this chapter was  
Willow and Riley arrive in Central America  
and  
Dawn and chase are invited to Katie's '_comeback_' party.

So as always I hope you enjoyed it and thank you for reading.


	10. Episode 14: Chapter 2

Buffy the Vampire Slayer  
Season 8, Episode 14  
What's on the Inside?  
Chapter 2.

"C'mon Buffy, why not?" Dawn asked whiningly in regards to Buffy saying that Dawn couldn't go to Katie's party.

"Because Dawn," Buffy replied as she scored an upper-cut against the heavy mass of plastic punch bag.

"Because what?" Dawn asked angrily.

"Because I said so!" Buffy replied loudly. "Look, I have enough to deal with as it is, Willow's half way around the world doing God knows what with my ex-boyfriend, Andrews broken the oven, Dana's having her episodes again and I don't need to add my drunk little sister passed out on a street side walk at all hours of the night to that list okay?" Buffy said sympathetically.

"You won't have to; you're acting like I'm 13 and having my first sip of alcohol, Buffy," Dawn protested.

"Dawn I'm not trying to treat you like a kid-"

"Well then why are you!" Dawn exclaimed.

"I just don't think I-"

"Can trust me?" Dawn cut in with an angry and disappointed expression on her face.

"I didn't say that," Buffy defended.

"Ya'didn't have to Buffy, it's written all over your face," Dawn said as she got down from the pile of weapons chests and stood firmly on the floor. She turned to the stairs to the closed door corridor and began walking.

"Dawn!" Buffy called after her as she dragged her fist across her forehead in frustration.

"I'll be in my room, but don't worry; I won't talk to strangers on the way even _if_they offer me candy. Oh, and thanks for hiding the scissors, wouldn't wanna hurt myself huh?" Dawn said sarcastically as she slammed the basement door.

Buffy exhaled heavily with a breath that had been trapped in her throat and she dropped her head into her hands. She whirled around suddenly and her calf collided with the punching bag. She put every inch of her Slayer power into that kick and the thick metal chain holding the plastic bag to the ceiling was severed and it was sent hurtling toward the book shelf where it collided loudly breaking each and every shelf. The books hit the floor individually and created a maze of demon mythology and Slayer/Watcher diaries.

* * *

Willow woke up that morning to the noise of chirping birds and other sounds she'd never heard. The night before, Riley had found a small shelter of trees and flat ground for them to set camp on. She'd fallen asleep watching him trying to get a fire going and it was the best night sleep she'd had in a while. She kicked her sleeping bag off of her fully clothed body and stretched. She looked around for her friendly guide to find him breaking dry twigs and throwing them onto the fire across the way from her. She smiled warmly and rose to her feet. "So, what's for breakfast?" Willow joked.

"Smoked rat or tinned ravioli," Riley replied bluntly.

"Wow, take a Jewish girl camping when she's 23 and put her off for life," Willow mumbled as she took her tooth brush from her bag and began making herself as presentable as she could.

"I was thinkin' we'd head east, further into the jungle and see if we can locate the tribe," Riley said.

"About that," Willow said with a full mouth of toothpaste, "if we find the village, are we just gonna strole on in or knock or what?"

"I was thinking we'd go for the strole," Riley said with a smirk as he pulled a gun from his pocket and cocked it. Willow held her hair behind her head and was about to spit into a ditch Riley had created as the toilet (which Willow told herself she would never use) to protest to his methods of greeting the natives, when a thin shard of wood with a material as thin as horse hair but as sharp as a claw went whirling past her head. It flew with such force that it embedded itself into one of the thick trunks of the shelter of tall trees.

"What was that?" Willow said as she looked puzzled at the wooden shard.

"What was what?" Riley asked vigilant.

"That!" Willow said pointing to the trunk of the large tree. Riley stepped quietly over the objects in the camp and stood in front of the trunk. He placed a think black glove over his hand and tried to pry the dart from the tree. He pulled it out to find an oozing yellow gunk dripping from the thin sharp material.

"Willow," Riley began.

"Yeah?" she replied as she bent over to place her toothbrush back in her duffle bag.

"Duck," he said as an army of the small wooden darts flew at them from one direction. Willow was tackled by her friend to the ground where the crawled behind a shrove of bushes for shelter.

"What's going on?" Willow whispered as they heard the whizzing darts fly past them.

"A very very bad thing," Riley replied. "You see this?" he asked as he held the first dart between his thumbs and finger. "This yellow stuff is poison, they get it from frogs, it's what they used to piss off one of the Savolti's last time," Riley told.

"What happens if it hits one of us?" Willow asked nervously.

"You don't wanna, its not supposed to kill you but it took out 5 of my best men a few years back," Riley said.

"So the plan is to run like hell?" Willow asked.

"Too risky, who knows how many of the tribe are out there," Riley said.

"So what do we do?" Willow asked hushed.

* * *

Buffy and Faith sat opposite each other as they did most mornings before it was their turn to take on day patrol. Buffy's sleep had been interrupted several times because of dreams of Willow being chased through the jungle by an angry mob and Dana's angry shouts at all hours in the morning. She drowsily finished off her last piece of toast when Dawn descended the stairs into the main hall. Buffy looked at her puzzled because she assumed she'd left a few minutes ago with the rest of the girls. "Dawn you're going to be late," Buffy said to her sister who sat tying her shoes.

"Don't worry about it," Dawn said avoiding eye-contact.

"Well just let me get dressed and I'll grab Giles' keys-"

"I already got a ride," Dawn interrupted as Xander bounced down the stairs happily.

"Ready to go Dawnster?" he asked as he twirled Giles' keys around his index finger. He felt the tension between the two siblings and stood still. "Am I interrupting something?"

"No, I'll guess ill just see you when you get home," Buffy said.

"Sure," Dawn said in the same ignorant manner.

Dawn and Xander quickly left the Manor shutting the huge entrance doors tightly behind them. Buffy wrapped her arms around her body and sighed. "Did I miss something?" Faith called as she finished her second full English breakfast.

"Sister stuff," Buffy called back as she turned to sit back at the table.

"Perks of bein' an only child. Or I think, Mom slept around a lot, probably gots me a little brother out there somewhere," Faith said.

"It's just, she's trying to grow up so fast and I'm doing all I can to give her a childhood and she's throwing it back in my face with boys and partying," Buffy said flustered.

"B, the kids 18 this year, her childhood was closed and put on a shelf years ago," Faith said cross-eyed.

"Technically she's almost three," Buffy said.

"You cant play the _Key_card on this one B," Faith said as she gathered her plate and fork. "Moma Summers gave the kid a helluva childhood, one better than most of us got, it's time for you to let her grow up and be a teenager," Faith said.

"But-"

"Buffy when you were seventeen you'd died, saved the world and had sex. It was a tough break sure but _you had_to grow up fast, Dawn's taking it in strides and all your doing is making the steps shorter and shorter," Faith said as she picked up her many plates and headed to the kitchen to bully Andrew into cleaning her dishes for her. She kicked the fragile old closed door open and was about to walk to the kitchen when she heard Buffy's voice once again.

"Faith?"

"Yeah?" she replied.

"Thank you," Buffy smiled.

"I have my moments," Faith winked as she continued down the corridor. Faith stood outside the kitchen door when she heard the sounds of Sam, Cody, Niamh and Lacy sparing in the basement behind her.  
She began to flashback to the gauntlet, watching herself walk nervously down the thin stone hallways until she reached the final one, the one where the dream catcher stood floating at the end of the tunnel and hearing the voice of the Guardian in her ear. She shrugged the feeling off and kicked the door open heavily.  
Andrew, in his apron and oven mitts covered in dough and gravy, jumped at the sound. Faith dropped her dishes into the soapy water of the sink and turned to leave.

"Clean those for me would ya?" she said quietly. Andrew was about to protest to the Slayer when the sudden slamming of the door left him stunned and silent.

He placed his hands on his hips dramatically, "Well that's just _**not**_ acceptable."

* * *

Xander and Dawn pulled up outside the busy High School and they both suffered a major case of Déjà vu. "Haven't we been here before?" Dawn teased.

"So what's the deal with you and Buffy?" Xander asked as he spotted Julie handing out more flyers except instead of them being about _Stranger Danger_, he saw a pink sheet with the title of '_Cinderfella'_, he assumed it was some sort of drama production.

"Don't change the subject," Dawn scolded. "You can't keep taking me to school, seeing her and chickening out. Go for it, she's going to say yes," Dawn smiled.

"And how're you so sure?" he grinned.

"Call it my intuition, go ask her to a movie or coffee or something," Dawn encouraged.

"Wish me luck," he said nervously. He got out of the car and was about to lock it when he spotted Dawn hadn't moved an inch. "What're you doin?" he asked.

"What I give you a pep talk and now you won't let me watch?" Dawn protested.

"No! Go to school," Xander scolded.

"Fine, going, going, gone," Dawn said as she disappeared into the din of adolescence.

"Cinderfella! Auditions in the auditorium at the end of 4th period. Remember guys it's not just for girls, hence the '_fella_' aspect. Here take a-" Julie's flyers were knocked free from her grasp as an angry jock chasing a freshman ran passed her and accidently crashed into her arm. The flyers tumbled to the ground of the quad. Julie doubled over in frustration and got on all fours to pick them up.

"Kids huh?" Xander greeted as he too got to the ground to help the attractive English teacher.

"Yeah," Julie said as she suddenly recognised the voice and spotted Xander. "Xander, Hi," she said nervously as she picked the last flyer from the ground.

"Hey," he replied as he handed her the papers he'd collected from the blacktop. "What're you doin here?" she asked.

"Just given a friend a ride," he said.

"You friends with a lot of High Schoolers?" Julie smirked.

"No! She's my friends sister…she was late and needed a ride-she got into a fight with her sister and I got kinda caught in the middle…and I'm rambling," he admitted.

"Little bit," Julie replied.

"Y'know I tried callin' ya," Xander pushed.

"Yeah I know I've been crazy busy," Julie lied.

"So you're pipes-" Xander began when he saw the sudden rise in Julies eyebrows, "**In your house! **Y'know from the other week," Xander said.

"Yeah it's all sorted now, thanks," Julie said.

"Sorry that I couldn't make it, I had a family thing," Xander lied.

"I hope everything's okay?" she asked sincerely.

"Yeah it's all okay now thanks," Xander said.

"Well I should get going, Hamlet is gonna teach itself," she smiled politely as she turned from the man and began to walk into the English building.

"**Coffee!**" Xander blurted.

"What?" Julie called back.

_Suave, smooth_Xander thought. "Will you have coffee with me?" he asked taking a shot.

"How's tonight?" Julie smiled.

"Tonight then," Xander nodded.

* * *

"I don't know they got us cornered," Riley said.

"Well what happened last time?" Willow asked.

"Helicopters dropped us in over head, element of surprise," Riley said. "Unless…"

"No," Willow replied.

"I didn't say anything," Riley snapped.

"You didn't have to! Riley I can't use magic, if I do I change, it's all black hair and veins and…lighting bolts," Willow warned.

"Willow those darts flying past our heads have a pretty good chance of killing us, and we can't hide behind this shrub forever," Riley replied.

"Well they can't keep spitting frog gunk at us forever either," Willow replied angrily.

"Willow! You can do this," he replied. Willow mulled it over as fast as she could. She realised that Riley was right, the only way out was magic, and although magic wasn't her best friend, it was her greatest weapon.

"We need a barrier," Willow hummed. "Sermonia minerva saypio sayperay saypsay saypio impedimentum," Willow chanted. Willow eyes were drained of colour and the sight of them shook Riley to the core, although her roots remained red, the pull of darkness could be felt from across the rainforest. The darts suddenly stopped flying past the two and the light thump of them hitting the grass was all they could hear except the ruffle of trees. Willow rose gracefully from her crouched position and smiled at the natives.

The wore badly stitched material in the form of panties that covered their private parts, all of the hunters Willow could see where men, some with extensive black hair, some with their hair cut and others completely bald. They all had olive skin but their faces were covered in tribal tattoos and various paints. They looked at each other curiously when their darts didn't seem to collide with the redhead.

Riley rose from the grass and made eye-contact with the hunters who seemed to now recognise him. "Okay Willow we got their attention, you can drop the barrier now," Riley encouraged nervously.

"Just a sec," Willow smirked devilishly. The barrier faded and Willow raised her hands causing the poison darts to float from the ground with the business end pointing back at the hunters. Their eyes widened in fear and some muttered the word 'sorceress'.

"Willow what're you doing?" Riley asked panicked.

"Oh c'mon don't wuss out on me now. You were all for the magic a few seconds ago, so let's get us a bulls eye," Willow grinned as she outstretched her hands causing the darts to move toward the hunters.  
Riley grabbed Willow by the shoulders and tackled her to the ground. The magic surrounding the darts was interrupted, they hit the floor delicately.  
Willow's eyes returned to their usual colour and Riley felt the pull of darkness fade.

"What the hell was that?" he asked worried.

"Oh that? Just Willow," she replied.

* * *

Author's Note: Firstly, my sincerest apologies. These past two weeks have been kinda difficult, I wont go into detail but because of it my writing has suffered but I hope you haven't noticed from reading that. This episode isn't my best work which is obvious from the lack of reviews, but that's okay, it's nearly over, I personally think I've concocted a good plot line for the episode, but it's not my best written one to date. So again, I'm sorry.  
On the bright side, I have two weeks off school, so expect more episodes a lot more frequently from this 15 year old.  
Thank you to Boris Yeltsin and Jeremy Shane who reviewed my last chapter.  
I hope you're still interested in the story and that you still look forward to and enjoy my updates.  
As always thank you for reading.

_p.s- Happy Mothers Day._


	11. Episode 14: Chapter 3

Buffy the Vampire Slayer  
Season 8, Episode 14  
What's on the Inside?  
Chapter 3.

Xander stood waiting patiently outside the local coffee house where he'd been texted by Julie to meet him at 8. They where going to get coffee and go see the local horror movie at the revival house, _Dr. Chuckles: the Reckoning._ Xander thought of the last date he'd had. Of course the beautiful olive-skinned catch, Alyssa, turned out to be a demon who tried to use his blood to open the Hellmouth. But his philosophy was, if you let a demon trying to kill you put you off meeting women, then you're destined to be alone. A philosophy he thought not many people shared. His _Tweetie Pie _wrist watch was teetering closer and closer to Julie being 20 minutes late. He couldn't handle the humiliation of being stood up and being teased by a hundred plus girls back at the manor.  
Luckily enough the women he'd been waiting for turned the corner in an elegant Black dress and grey shawl. "Hey, sorry I'm late," she greeted him as he stood up gentlemanly.

"Late? I hadn't noticed," he lied.

"Here's your coffee," a bus boy said as he placed the hot mug on the table.

"Thanks," Xander said. He turned to his date, "what can I get you?"

"A cappuccino would be great thanks," she said.

"You heard the Lady," Xander said as he tipped the boy $5 and he scurried off toward the counter.

"So, this is a nice place," she said.

"Yeah," he replied as he took a sip of his coffee. To Xander's unknowing he'd dipped his lip a little too far into the mug and gotten foam all over it. "You always lived in Cleveland?" he asked casually. Julie, who had previously had her eyes set in her purse, looked up and began chuckling at Xander's foam moustache. "What?" he asked as he turned his head to see if he could find the source of her amusement.

"You, you got a little, uh," Julie hinted to her upper lip and like a toddler discovering his nose was running; Xander wiped himself with the napkin and tossed it unsuccessfully into the trash. "Impressive," Julie mocked.

"Yeah I meant to do that," he replied with a smile.

"Uh, yeah my whole life, up until September that is, I took a month's sabbatical and went to Tibet," Julie said in regards to Xander's previous question.

"How come?" he asked.

"Well, I guess I just needed a break and I through a dart at the map one night and I thought, I'm gunna go there, and I did," Julie smiled proudly.

"I wish I had your freedom," Xander replied as he thought of all his supernatural struggles he'd dealt with over the last seven years.

"I'm sorry?" Julie asked.

"Oh it's just, y'know the store, Lou's always got me busy," Xander lied.

"I thought you just started there?" Julie asked.

-"Here's your cappuccino," the bus boy said as he placed Julie's mug on the table and rescued Xander from having to make up more lies.

* * *

"Lyndsey, aren't you supposed to be with Faith out on patrol?" Buffy asked as Lyndsey and a bunch of other girls headed for the door.

"Not tonight," Lyndsey, a long-legged 16 year old redhead from Detroit, said.

"So where are you going?" Buffy asked.

"Oh, bunch of us got invited to this party tonight…I didn't think it would be a problem," Lyndsey said in regards to Buffy's expression.

"Oh, y'see I told Dawn she couldn't go and if I let everybody else-"

"Dawn?" Lyndsey laughed, "She headed out of here about 20 minutes ago."

Buffy flew at Slayer speed up to the fifth floor and to Dawns' room passing a confused Giles and knocking over a feeble Andrew. She found the door swinging open because of the force of the wind over the Lake's Cliffside from the open window. Buffy looked out of the window to find the fire escape ladder had been used. She aggressively shut the window with a loud bang and locked it securely. She looked to Dawn's night stand and found the white envelope with _'Dawn Summers'_ written on the front. She re-opened the letter and found the invitation to Katie's party. Angrily, Buffy took a hair bobble from Dawn's dresser and tied her hair up. She turned to leave her room when she found Giles standing firmly in the threshold. "Are you sure you want to go after her?" he asked.

"You knew she went when I told her she couldn't?" Buffy asked with a scrutinising expression forming.

"Yes-"

"Whether or not she goes to parties isn't your call Giles! It's mine," Buffy yelled.

"Well bloody well act like it!" Giles snapped. "Buffy she's 18-"

Buffy barged passed her watcher and began descending the stairs into the entrance hall. She grabbed her coat which was draped awkwardly over the couch, picked up a stake in case of emergency and slammed the door angrily behind her.

* * *

The Natives fled the scene of the clearing after that. They feared the witch and muttered things under their breath to each other that Willow didn't need to speak to understand the language to know what they were saying. Riley cautiously helped Willow from the ground to her feat and they wiped themselves free of grass and mud. Riley suggested they clear the camp but warned the witch to be weary of the darts as they picked up the essentials. Willow disregarded most of her clothing and only took one extra change of clothes. _What the hell am I doing here?_She thought as she and Riley left the camp to try and follow the trail of the Natives back to their tribe or Village. They walked, careful not to trigger any traps that the tribal hunters might have set to catch them, and ventured deeper into the jungle. "Riley…about what happened back there," Willow stammered.

"Forget about it, I shouldn't have pushed ya' so hard. You warned me what happens when you use magic and I didn't listen," Riley said as he led the way through the jungle.

"Still, we were in a bad situation back there and I let you down," Willow said.

"Willow, really, don't worry about it. Besides, when we get outa' here big scary Willow won't be an issue anymore," Riley said.

"Here's hopin'," Willow said unconvinced. The longer she seemed to spend in the jungle, the more she felt like it was a waste of time. They continued to trek through the overgrown cage they'd found themselves in when Riley picked up on the trail of the villagers. They had previously covered their tracks as they fled from Willow, but all of a sudden they'd gotten lazy and left footprints in the marsh-like ground.

"The tribe should be just through that clearing if I'm following the tracks right," Riley said as he pointed his hand toward a gathering of vegetation.

"And if you followed them wrong?" Willow asked.

"Got ma' tranc gun," Riley grinned. Willow wondered what happened to the sweet, coy and shy college boy she used to know and how he became this reckless government play toy. She could only put his change in personality down to his divorce which he was completely reluctant to talk about, but Willow had her ways.

* * *

Dawn, wearing a purple one-sleeved dress and her sisters' stolen heels, pulled up outside Katie's house with Chase in his car. Loud hip-hop and soft rock echoed out of the windows and through them could be seen groups of people dancing together. The house was beautiful, it had nothing on the size of the Manor, but still, Dawn was in awe. The front two windows had stained glass like that of a church and the door was tall and made from oak with the most delicate and detailed carvings on it. The brick was white stone that looked like it was dusted and polished daily. The front lawn was littered with empty plastic cups and your standard glass bottle of vodka here and there.  
Admittedly, Dawn did feel guilty for going to the party when she was told she couldn't, she realised going anyway didn't help her cause but she thought; _One lousy party, she'll get over it._ Chase got out of his side over the car and ran around to the other side to help Dawn gentlemanly out of hers.  
Hand-in-hand, the couple walked up the front path, Chase: Confidently and Dawn: Nervously. The door opened as if on it's own but then out of the din of adolescence, Katie appeared with drink in hand. "I'm so glad you made it," Katie said as she kissed Chase on the cheek. Even though the sun was barely setting yet, it was obvious Katie had had a few drinks before hand.

"Uh, wouldn't miss it," Chase said awkwardly as he tried to pass the peck on the cheek of as a greeting gesture to his girlfriend.

"And Dawn, I love your dress where did you get it?" Katie smiled.

_My Sister's closet_. "Uh there's this little boutique down on-" Dawn began lying but was interrupted.

"It's adorable," Katie cut in. Dawn smiled politely and was lead into the house. The hallway could be seen first, it was filled with couples making out while the living and dining rooms played hosts to the various kegs and dancing teenagers. Katie smiled to the both of them and left them in the hallway to continue her make-out session with Seth Crosby by the stereo.

"Oh my God you guys made it!" Natalie said as she suddenly jumped into Dawns' line of vision.

"Wouldn't miss it," Chase replied over the racket from the stereo.

"I got here first, y'know, did a little snooping up stairs and let me tell you that Katie's mom has a couple…_dirty_…secrets if you know what I mean," Natalie winked as she made a gesture like she was tossing a whip.

"How much have you had?" Dawn laughed as she indicated the half empty plastic cup in Natalie's hand.

"Y'know…a few…eleven," Natalie said as she downed her vodka and cola.

"I'm gonna go get a drink, Dawn you want?" Chase asked.

"Sure," Dawn replied. She flashed back to a couple years ago when she sat in the Bronze with her sister and her friends and made the statement that only losers drink alcohol.

"Yeah, over here too tough guy," Natalie slurred.

"Get her a water, we'll tell her it's from Katie's moms liquor cabinet or something," Dawn whispered.

"Agreed," Chase said as he made his way through the crowd.

"You too are so good together, y'know?" Natalie smiled.

"Thanks," Dawn said as she helped Natalie to the living room couch.

"Yeah I mean you should have seen him last year, total jerk, wouldn't have looked twice at somebody like you," Natalie told. Dawn let her neck relax involuntarily and her head and gaze hung down to her knees. Her long brown hair hid her face. "Oh I didn't mean that in a bad way, it's just your new here, how'd you manage to get him to look at you like that?" Natalie asked.

"Like what?" Dawn asked, still a little offended.

"Like you're the only girl in the room."

* * *

Xander and Julie cleared their table, Xander paid for the coffee of course, and he waited for Julie to get her coat from behind the counter. They were going to catch the movie at 7 and the sky was just turning it's first shade of pink. Xander, happily looking up at the sky because of his successful date so far, felt his cell phone vibrate in his pocket. "You're on with Xander," Xander greeted.

"Xand, it's me," Buffy said as she strutted purposely through the streets of downtown Cleveland.

"What's up?" Xander asked. He casually turned his head to find Julie still waiting for her coat.

"It's Dawn, she's at some party with Chase and i need the address," Buffy ordered.

"Buff, I'm kinda on a date here," Xander said.

"I don't have time for you're demon girlfriend problems right now, Xander," Buffy replied.

"Oh, **ONE LOUSY PRAYING MANTIS**!" Xander exclaimed down the phone, turning the heads of the coffee shop customers.

* * *

Chase returned with Dawn's drink, his own and Natalie's water. He sat down on the couch and tried to ignore the many cries of his fellow football players to come and watch as Lewis did a keg stand across the room. Dawn spotted this and smiled. "Go," she said.

"What?" he asked.

"I'm good here," she said.

"You sure?" he smiled.

"Yuh-huh," Dawn half-smiled. Chase kissed his girlfriend on the cheek and almost ran across the room.

"Ya see!" Natalie slurred into her beverage. "Why can't I have a guy like that? Y'know Katie never let him do anything, it was always me me me me with her, you could tell he hated it-"

"What do you mean?" Dawn asked interrupting her ramble.

"Katie and Chase?" Natalie said with a furrowed brow. Dawn created a confused expression. "They went out for like a year until she dumped him about 8 months ago for her tennis instructor," Natalie told. "Wait you didn't know?" Natalie asked excited. Dawn saw the opportunity on Natalie's face. She knew this juicy information was gossip gold, the Californian new girl had been stung by the Ohio stud.

"Yeah, c-course I know I mean, old news," Dawn lied. Natalie's expression fell.

"Oh…well good coz' that could've been bad," Natalie said.

"Um, do you know where the bathroom is?" Dawn asked.

"Downstairs one is in the hall," Natalie said.

"Thanks," Dawn rose from her seated position and made her way through the crowd and glared saddened at her lying boyfriend. Although she couldn't call him a liar really, they'd never spoken about past relationships. Partly because how do you tell a guy _"Yeah, I made out with a vampire and then he tried to kill me and I had to stake him."_ Even Dawn knew that was Buffy's love story, not hers.  
She noticed the dusk light was beginning to shine through the windows as she turned the corner of the hallway to find it completely blocked with a queue. She waited a couple minutes, she endured snotty glares and dirty looks, but eventually she gave up on her effort and decided to see if there was an upstairs bathroom. _A house like this, there has to be_ she thought.  
She ascended the beautiful stone spiral stairs and stepped onto the landing. It was quieter up there, more peaceful, a good place for her to breakdown. She found the bathroom and pushed on the door revealing an empty toilet. She dropped down the toilet lid and sat on top of it.  
She tried to cry, but couldn't.  
Instead the soft cries of somebody in the other room caught her curious attention. The cries suddenly turned to screams and Dawn shot up from the toilet lid. She gave a look to the up coming almost full moon. She crossed the landing and found the room that held the crying's epicentre. She slid the door open. "Hello?" she called. She opened the door fully and found Seth Crosby, frantic, down the side of a nice double bed. He seemed to be sitting on top of the screaming girl and she seemed to be fighting him off, but Dawn couldn't see who the girl was because of the bed.

_Dawn to the rescue_, she thought as she barged into the bedroom. "**Hey! Get off of her!**" Dawn shouted. She pulled Seth up and found he wasn't sitting on the girl, but trying to calm her down.

"Dawn right?" Seth stammered, "You gotta help me!"

"Katie?" Dawn said as she laid eyes on the screaming girl who seemed to be writhing in pain and panic.

"What happened?" Dawn asked.

"I don't know! We were just makin out and she just started goin' nuts!" Seth said as he ran his fingers through his short hair in a panic.

"Katie?" Dawn repeated as she bent down to Katie's side. Katie continued to roll about on the floor in screams that were drowned out by the roar of the music downstairs.

"Should I call an ambulance?" Seth asked.

"Ye-" Dawn was interrupted when Katie suddenly stopped still and made eye contact with the little bit. Katie's eyes were filled with an inky blackness that seemed to swallow you whole. Her glamorous blonde hair began to grow likes something out of a messed up fairytale and her finger nails grew to an incredible sharp point. "Seth, we need to get out of here," Dawn said as she got up from Katie's side and stepped back with the boy toward the door.

"But Katie-" Seth protested.

"That's not Katie anymore," Dawn said as she watched the sunset and the full moon began to rise into the darkening sky.

* * *

**Authors Note:** I don't know what's happening guys. I think I've lost my Buffy muse with this episode. When I came to think about episode 14 I thought "Yeah, awesome." But I don't think it's my best work and if you've picked up on that too I apologize. I began writing chapter three of episode 14 on Sunday with all intentions of finishing it and publishing it that same day. But I finished it and thought, "what is this sh*t?" So I re-wrote the chapter over the next two days and then when I proof read it on Tuesday, I had the same thought. And eventually I came up with the above chapter. In one of my many tries of this chapter, Willow came home from the jungle but i thought, "_well what a waste of a good arc?_" so i decided to have her and Riley's little adventrue go into episode 15 as well. Last Chapter of the episode will be up soon. Hope you enjoyed it and as always thank you for reading.

Thank you to: twin who likes to travel, Boris Yeltsin, Jeremy Shane and em . lbh for reviewing my last chapter and I thank you for keeping with me and having faith in me and the story.  
Thank you to twitch1124 for adding this to their story alerts.

Thank you for reading and please review.


	12. Episode 14: Chapter 4

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Season 8 Episode 14  
What's on the Inside?  
Chapter 4

"Is everything okay?" Julie asked as she returned from the counter with her coat and purse. She wrapped the long black coat around her shoulders and studied Xander's exasperated expression. She liked him a lot, but she'd picked up on the fact that he was dicy on the subject of his life before Cleveland but she was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt…at least until the third or fourth date.

"Yeah just trouble back at the house," Xander replied. Xander felt his phone vibrating against his thigh and knew it was Buffy growing impatient and waiting for the address.

"You help run some sort of orphanage right?" Julie asked puzzled.

"It's a lot more than that but it's a long long long story," Xander replied looking shifty.

"Look Xander, I like you, but being an English teacher you know a thing or two about analysing and right now I can tell you don't wanna be here," Julie said as she tucked her hands in her pockets. "So if you wanna go then go-"

"**No!**" Xander interrupted, "trust me, there isn't anywhere I would rather be right now, it's not you," he saved. Julie's phone suddenly began vibrating in her pocket. She looked to it and her expression changed at the caller ID.

"Could you give me a sec?" she asked.

"Sure," Xander replied. Julie took a few paces back toward the sidewalk and flipped up her phone and held the receiver to her ear. The caller ID read _Tyler Combs_.

"Hello?" Julie greeted worried.

"_Miss Carter?_" a scared adolescent boy by the name of Tyler called down the phone over loud music.

"Tyler, what is it? Where are you?" Julie asked.

"_I'm at Katie Higgins' party, could you come get me? Things are getting weird,_" he pleaded.

"What do you mean weird?" Julie asked.

"_Please Miss, you said if I was ever in trouble to call you_," Tyler said.

"What's the address? I'll be there as fast as I can," Julie replied.

"_It's uh, uh, 134 Prescott Street_," he told.

"I'm on my way," she exhaled as she closed the flap of her phone and tucked it back in her pocket. She swirled around on her heels and her long black hair followed behind her. She walked back to Xander and tried to think of a convincing excuse for why she had to leave other than _the kid I mentor needs me to come get him_. Instead she went with "I'm sorry, I've gotta take off."

"Wait, what?" Xander said flabbergasted.

"It's a long story, something you'd understand," Julie jabbed.

"And she comes out swinging," Xander said with a look.

"I'm sorry that was…unfair," Julie said.

"Don't worry about it," Xander said with a hand gesture.

"Call me though; I had a good time tonight. Maybe we could catch that movie another time," Julie suggested.

"I'll bring the popcorn," Xander nodded with a smile.

"Goodnight Xander," Julie smiled. She stepped onto the sidewalk, placed her palms in her coat pocket, and walked purposely to Katie's house. Xander, back in the coffee shop, felt his phone vibrating vigorously in his pocket still and he knew it was his impatient slayer friend waiting for an address. He had no idea how he was going to get it for her. Besides, in Cleveland he had no connections, no Willy the Snitch to bribe.  
He then realised he'd just had coffee with the girls possible English teacher.

"Julie!" he shouted after her. From down the street she turned and made eye contact. Xander jogged down to her. "This is going to sound completely crazy but do you know a girl called Katie Higgins and her address?" he asked. Julie looked at him wide-eyed.

* * *

Back at Katie's party, Dawn and Seth stood weary near the door of the bedroom and listened to the shrill cries and coming growls of the blonde girl that was hidden from view behind the bed. Dawn's mind was running through every piece of lore and demonology she had ever read as junior watcher. Whatever was happening to Katie had to be supernatural. As soon as she saw Katie's elongating nails, her darkening eyes and heard the sound of her adjusting bones, she knew what was happening, but she had to be sure. Seth looked to Dawn like she was the second coming, he was completely confused, scared and he felt like it was his fault. Seth began, "Dawn, I really think we should call an ambulance-" He stopped still and quiet when Katie suddenly stopped screaming. The spine chilling sounds of Katies' bones cracking stopped completely and all Dawn could hear was the loud music and her own breath.  
Dawn looked to the window and saw the almost Full Moon rise high into the sky. The sun had completely set.  
Dawn grabbed Seth by the thread of his letterman's jacket and began pulling him from the room. Seth resisted when the sight of a shaggy light haired dog with black eye's leapt from were Katie was lying and onto the bed spread. "Oh my God," Seth hummed at the sight of it. Dawn looked to the monster and, almost superhero-like, pulled Seth from the room and closed the door of the bedroom so fast she could barely remember doing it.

"You have to help me barricade this door!" Dawn cried over the music on the landing. Seth, laid on the landing carpet after Dawn pulled him from the room, was in shock. He'd just watched as his girlfriend go from hot blonde to crazy wolf dog thing. He'd seen enough movies to know what was happening. He heard Dawn's outburst but it took a few moments for it to register in his brain, the sudden banging behind the door and Dawn's screaming did the trick though. He bounced from the floor and starting pushing cabinets from across the landing toward the door.

"Dawn what just happened!" he cried. He knew the answer, but he wasn't crazy enough to say it. Dawn avoided his eye-contact in order to avoid the question as she helped him carry a computer desk and put it in front of the door.

Dawn knew what was happening, she knew now why Katie had been off for the last month, she'd been bitten and was a werewolf.

Chase, stood at the bottom of the stairs, heard his girlfriends echoing screams from the landing. He looked over the head of the crowd and found Natalie, passed out and alone, on the couch where he'd last seen Dawn. He heard her scream again and bolted up to her. He found Dawn and Seth on the landing with their backs leaning heavily on a large cabinet full of plates and photo frames. He looked puzzled at them until he heard the banging coming from behind the cabinet. "What's going on?" he called.

"Chase! You have to get _everybody_ out of here **now!**" Dawn yelled as the cabinet began to shake with the force of the werewolf behind it.

"Why?" he asked.

"Just do it!" Dawn replied.

"You heard her!" Chase said to Seth. Chase took Seth's place against the cabinet and was shocked at the force required to keep the cabinet from toppling over. "Did somebody break into the house?" chase asked frantically.

"You could say that," Dawn replied as calmly as she could. From downstairs the couple heard the music being cut off and the load complaints of the drunk and disorderly under 18's. The loud ripping and cracking of the wooden door behind the cabinet was heard throughout the house and it was then that the party goers heard the banging and growling.

"Dawn, this isn't going to hold, we should run now and call the cops from my car!" Chase warned. He took his weight from the cabinet and Dawn leaned harder.

"We can't let this thing out of the house!" Dawn rejected.

"What do you mean _thing_?" Chase asked as he tugged at Dawns' arm and tried to get her to leave.

* * *

Buffy walked briskly down Prescott Street looking for house number 134. "Buffy!" Xander called from behind her. She turned in her boots to find her best friend and a woman she'd never seen before in her life. She remembered Xander talking about his date but she was busy worrying about Dana and the patrol root. Julie and Xander caught up to Buffy and they greeted each other pleasantly. They arrived just as Seth turned off the music inside. "Buffy, this is Julie," Xander introduced. "Julie, Buffy, Buffy, Julie," he added.

"Hi," they greeted together.

"So are you a school mentor too?" Julie asked.

Buffy began, "Actually I'm-"

"Buffy's a volunteer…at the police station, yeah she uh, she got a call about the noise and that's why she wanted the address," Xander added.

"Oh, how…charitable," Julie said puzzled.

"I'm all about the law," Buffy replied sarcastically as she gave Xander a look.

"Looks like the party's died down, I should run inside and find Tyler and maybe the sight of a teacher might scatter the ravers," Julie nodded as she stepped up the path and out of earshot.

"A Police volunteer?" Buffy mocked with a playful smack to Xander's arm.

"It was all I could think of!" Xander replied.

"Why not tell the truth and say I just wanted to find my sister?" she asked.

"That would have made more sense," Xander acknowledged.

Buffy began, "Plus you don't bring a date to a…a-"

"A grounding? A scolding? A telling off?" Xander said with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't get all richeous on me Xander," Buffy said as she began toward the house.

"I'm not, but Buffy you called me out of a date to come along with you to scold your little sister," Xander said. "Where's the logic?"

"You sound like Giles," Buffy mumbled under her breath.

"Yeah well maybe Giles is right," Xander called after her. Buffy swirled around with a look in her eye that made Xander want to disappear into a bush. "Buffy, when you were Dawn's age you'd died, had sex and saved the world a bajillion times. I get that you don't want the bad stuff that happened to you to happen to Dawn, but if you don't loosen your restraints around her she'll suffocate."

Buffy punched Xander square in the jaw and he fell to the ground. Buffy stepped back; shocked at her outburst. Xander spat blood from his mouth to the ground.

"Hitting me won't make your issues go away Buffy, I love you, I lost an eye for you, I think I've earned the respect to be listened to by now," he said as he got back to his feet. "Dawn will never forgive you if you barge in there and drag her out…take my advice…just walk away."

All of a sudden, loud screams of panic and fear rang in Buffys' and Xanders' ears. Students began to flee the house in terror and glass smashing, doors breaking and people crying for help oozed from the scene. "You were saying," Buffy replied to Xander. Buffy took her stake from her jeans pocket and cut a path through the fleeing rampage. She got into the living room and looked as people toppled over couches, tables, stereos and TVs to get away from what looked like a large furry wolf. Buffy's eyes grew wide as she realised what it was. She looked to her stake and prayed for it to magically turn into a tranquiliser rifle. "**Xander, get these kids out of here!**" Buffy ordered.  
Xander began shepherding students out of the house from the kitchen and dining room while Buffy looked to the wolf that seemed to be enjoying the pigs in blankets that where on the snack table. Buffy didn't have time to think of how she was going to deal with the situation best. A werewolf is only a demon three nights out of the month. There is always still a person in there. The wolf looked to Natalie's passed out body lying incapacitated on the red living room sofa. The wolf bound from the table toward the couch but instead it received a swift kick to the nose from Buffy's boot. It slid across the wood of the hallway and into the kitchen.

"Miss Summers!" Chase called from the landing. Buffy looked up to find Chase looking over the balcony with blood running from a cut on his forehead.

"Chase you have to get out of here!" Buffy shouted as she heard the wolf growl. She looked back to the kitchen where she'd seen it hit the ground but it wasn't there anymore.

Chase began to stammer, "I can't, it-it's Dawn she's-" The mention of Dawn was all Buffy needed to leap over the banister and bolt up the stairs. Buffy laid eyes on the scene. Dawn lay bleeding under a huge cabinet and what was left of the wood of a once expensive door. Chase had been trying to lift the cabinet off of her but the weight of it and with his injury it was proving impossible.

* * *

Outside, Xander stumbled upon Julie as she helped an injured boy who Xander assumed to be Tyler out of the house. The front lawn was still full of fleeing students. "Julie," Xander said, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Tyler passed out from fright when…when that…thing jumped out at us," Julie said.

"What thing, what did it look like?" Xander asked.

"You'd think I'm crazy," Julie said as she tried to move around Xander.

"Try me," Xander added. Julie exhaled heavily and released a breath.

"It looked kinda like a…it looked like a werewolf. But that's crazy right?" Julie said, struggling to hold up the boy as he slipped in and out of consciousness. Xander didn't think to reply, he realised his friend was still in the house with a werewolf and she had no way of defending herself against it. He figured the wolf had to be a student and he figured Buffy knew it too. He bound back into the house purposely and left Julie confused on the lawn. She followed the scattering crowd away from the house.

Xander stepped into the house and saw the light haired werewolf at the bottom of the stairs. He saw Dawn's boyfriend and Buffy through the bars of the landing and then he realised they were trying to pull Dawn out of fancy wreckage. The wolf was about to bound up and attack when Xander exclaimed, "Hey!"  
The werewolf turned devilishly and snarled at Xander, Buffy looked over the balcony to find Xander breaking a wooden table to get a leg for a weapon. Buffy jumped over the landing and landed heavily on top of the werewolf. Buffy, wrestling with the demon, managed to mumble, "**Get Dawn out of here!**" Xander headed up the stairs.

Buffy did all she could to avoid the wolfs' bite. They traded blows for a few minutes until Buffy managed to lift her legs under the body of the wolf and launch it toward the flatscreen TV. It crashed heavily and yelped. It hit the floor like a furry bag of bricks and appeared completely immobile.  
Chase and Xander struggled to carry Dawn on their shoulders and down the stairs. Xander and Chase looked to the werewolf in the living room and then to Natalie who had managed to remain asleep throughout the…incident. "Is it dead?" Xander asked.

"No, how is she?" Buffy asked as she held Dawn's unconscious head in her hands.

"We need to get her to a hospital," Chase said.

"Buff, what about the…you know?" Xander asked as he inclined his head toward the wolf. "It's not gonna stay passed out all night."

Buffy began, "I guess we'll have to lock it-"

"Watch out!" Chase exclaimed. The werewolf had woken up and turned to the Slayer. It leapt into the air with its mouth wide open with all thought on the kill. Buffy foolishly had her back to the attack. Chase ducked out from Dawn's arm and pushed Buffy out of the way. Xander quivered with the sudden dead weight, Buffy stumbled to the side and Chase was leapt on by the werewolf.

It sunk its teeth deep into his shoulder and its canines grazing the bone was a sound Xander would take to his grave.

The werewolf was about to tear out his shoulder entirely if it wasn't for Buffy ripping it's furry body off of him and tossing it into the mantelpiece. The wolf was knocked unconscious once again and Buffy and Xander exchanged a worried look.  
Chase was bitten, his life was changed forever.

* * *

Author's Note: Thank you to Boris Yeltsin, Jeremy Shane, Calilily and maxthehobbit for their reviews on my last chapter. I hope you're still interested in this story and your reviews are appreciated so much.  
_Maxthehobbit_ sent me a message with the most amazing review I've had in a while, it gave the confidence boost and inspiration to finish the episode.  
I hope you enjoyed the plot, I had originally intended for Julie to get bitten, but as I was writing I was thinking of so many other story possibilities for Chase and Dawn if Chase was a werewolf. However, leave me a message or in a review, tell me if you would like to keep the tradition of Xander and his demon girlfriends or if you think he deserves to have a normal relationship, I'd love to know what you prefer.  
I have one episode left until I get to write one I've been looking forward to doing for weeks. It ties in with Angel season 5 and hopefully I do a good job of it.  
The next episode, episode 15, I have planned to reveal to you who the mystery man with the cane and the suit is, but as you know my writing sometimes takes on a life of it's own. It might also reveal what else happened to Faith while she was in the gauntlet when she saw another dream catcher!  
I've also decided to have Willow and Riley in the Rainforest continue into the next episode if you got confused as to why she and Riley weren't in that chapter.  
Please review and follow me on tumblr:

www. Keep calm and open the hellmouth . tumblr . com -all one word.

Please review and as always, thank you for believing in me and reading this.


	13. Episode 15: Chapter 1

Buffy the Vampire Slayer  
Season 8, Episode 15  
The Truth is Out There.  
Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with Buffy the Vampire Slayer or the Buffyverse, I am just a fan.

Summary: Willow and Riley arrive with the Natives in Central America and the Chief, a powerful shaman and old friend of Riley's, assists Willow in confronting her demons and meeting an old friend. Meanwhile back in Ohio, Dawn tackles confronting Katie about her being a werewolf and must deal with breaking the news to Chase. Giles confronts Buffy about Spike's resurrection and Buffy decides it's finally time to work out what is happening with Faith.

* * *

_"She will come to you soon," told one of Glory's minions as they finished tying Dawn to two poles on the edge of a poorly structured tower that looked over Sunnydale. Dawn knew what she must do when the time came, it had to have the blood, her blood. She looked down to her outfit they'd forced her to wear; she imagined it being the dress she would wear in her coffin when this was all over. The night time breeze wisped her hair around her face as she looked to the scene. "Buffy," she whispered._

* * *

"_Shallow cuts," the Doc said as he carved his knife over Dawn's stomach, "shallow cuts…to let the blood flow." Dawn felt the blood fall down her stomach and reach her thighs. It was happening. Buffy couldn't get to her in time, Spike couldn't save her, and Dawn knew she had to die._

"Dawn!" called a familiar voice that made Dawn's eyes widen at the beautiful woman who stood opposite her.

"Well, this should be interesting," the Doc said pompously until Buffy hurled him off the tower with a single arm movement.

* * *

"_**Buffy! Look at what's happening!**__" Dawn cried. She could still feel the blood dripping from her feet as she she saw a dragon erupt from the silver flux of pure dimensional energy, a spike of that energy bolted toward the road in front of the Espresso Pump and it fractured completely, another jolt hurled for City Hall and the demons that appeared where unlike anything Dawn or her sister had ever come across…it was time. Dawn tried to run passed her sister, to dive into the portal, but Buffy caught her by her arm._

"What're you doing?" Buffy asked, tears caressing her long black eyelashes.

"I have to jump…t-the energy-"

"It'll kill you!" Buffy protested.

"I know."

_"Dawn, listen to me, please we don't have a lot of time, Listen: I love you. I will always love you. But this is the work that I have to do. Tell Giles I... tell Giles I figured it out, and I'm o.k. Give my love to my friends. You have to take care of them now. You have to take care of each other. You have to be strong. Dawn, the hardest thing in this world is to live in it. Be brave. Live... fo-"_

* * *

Dawn shot awake in her bed seemingly drowning in her own sweat. She sucked in huge gapes of air but it didn't seem to feel like it was fixing the hole in her chest. She dragged the back of her hand across her moist forehead and exhaled heavily. Her pyjamas were sticking to her skin as she kicked the bed covers off of her and switched on the lamp. She climbed out of bed and pushed open the window and felt the cool air of the lake gracefully greet her face. Dawn had been in recovery for the past week, she'd received a dislocated shoulder and mild head trauma from her nasty encounter with werewolf Katie and her family's fancy yet heavy collection of cutlery and photographs.  
It wasn't the first time she'd had that dream, in the weeks Buffy was decaying in a coffin it came to her every night; she'd shoot awake just like she did a minute ago. "Dawn?" called Nicholas' voice from outside the door. Dawn looked to the clock on her bedside table and it read _11:57 .p.m._

"Yeah," she called back. The doorknob turned and the light from the fifth floor hallway beamed in a rectangular shape on the floor of her room. Nicholas appeared in the door way, he wasn't wearing his sunglasses so Dawn assumed she'd woken him while he was sleeping, he wore a pair of pyjama pants and slippers and he leaned on the frame.

"I heard screaming," he said, the blue in his eyes tearing holes in her skin with his stare.

"Bad dream I guess," she replied as she sat down on the edge of her bed feeling the aches and pains of her injuries.

"Still sore I take it?" he asked in his British accent.

"You too huh?" Dawn replied as she gestured toward the wound in his stomach from were he was stabbed a few weeks ago when he and Willow went up against Amy and the guy in the suit. They'd came back with the sword with the initials C.B on it but Nick paid the price. He hadn't left his room for the last two weeks except to eat and pee.

"Touché," he winked, "First day back tomorrow?" he asked.

"Yep," Dawn replied.

"People are going to want to know what happened at that party Dawn. Assuming your boyfriend hasn't blurted out the _**W**_ word," Nicholas said.

"All Chase knows is that he was bitten by a nasty looking animal, he won't say anything," Dawn replied.

"I hope you're right," Nicholas hummed. "Get some sleep," he said.

"You got it," she replied with a false smile. Nicholas shut the door tight and Dawn, leaving her lamp on, curled back into bed.

* * *

"It's getting hairy out there B," Faith announced as she descended the stairs to the basement and found Buffy sparing with the wheat-filled dummy. Buffy turned to Faith and found her with a nasty cut on her cheeks and the cuff of her leather jacket almost torn clean off. Faith grabbed a bandage from the supply cupboard and sat atop one of the climbing beams. Buffy hadn't heard her, she was to consumed with making the scarecrow dummy explode. Faith, although she would never admit it, was worried about her fellow Slayer. They hadn't heard from Willow in a week and both she and Xander were getting restless. "**Buffy**," Faith called again. Buffy whirled around startled and met Faith's famous pensive stare.

"What?" Buffy replied as she turned her back to her once again.

"I said it's getting sketchy out there," Faith echoed herself.

"We're on a Hellmouth, Faith. Sketchy equals normal," Buffy said as she delivered punches to the dummy and completely dismissed her.

"I may not have been doin' this as long as you Buffy, but I know when the normal scaly spooks come out extra fiery," Faith told. "We've managed to keep the new vamps under our foot with day patrols…but they're getting smarter. Yesterday I saw a vamp dressed as a mechanic to get a soccer mom to invite him into the house at four in the afternoon."

"What do you want me to do Faith?" Buffy whirled around.

"For one you can take back the tone a notch or two," Faith replied, her brow furrowed.

"I didn't mean to-"

"Forget it, I get that you're wicked stressed I was just trying to make conversation…maybe if Willow get's back she can work some kind of protection mojo," Faith suggested.

"**When**…Willow get's back," Buffy replied.

* * *

Riley parted the overgrown grass barricade that surrounded the tribe's village. He gestured Willow forward and she glanced at the area in front of her. The huts where literally as you would see them in your head, large tents of canvas with pine tree leaves as the roof. Women carried large baskets of fruit and water from a stream that ran through the village and back to their homes while the children ran happily around the village, getting muddy and playing what Willow assumed was '_catch the boar_' or something. It was all very _Lord of the Flies _for a second except these people seemed to have a civil nature about them. "You see that hut over there?" Riley asked.

"Yeah?" Willow replied. The hut Riley was pointing at was by far the largest and furthest apart from the rest of the village. There were markings on the walls around the doors and the holes used for windows although Willow couldn't make them out from that distance.

"That's who we came to see," Riley replied.

"Y'know those guys with the cool darts and pointy sticks weren't so welcoming, how are you sure this guy is going to help us?" Willow asked.

"He's an old friend," Riley replied casually.

"Do all you're old friends have their buddies try to kill you?" Willow asked.

"It's a little more complicated than that, Willow," Riley told.

"I guess I'll just have to take you're word for it," Willow replied. "So what's the plan, we wait for him to come out, signal him and he sneaks us into his…tent thing?"

"More like we walk right in and get captured," Riley smiled cockily.

"What?" Willow asked wide-eyed. She was to late and Riley stood to his full 6'4 height and stepped casually into the camp. The reality of the situation hitting her like a punch in the face, Willow knew she had to follow him. It was his way or no way out there. "I'm gonna die," Willow whispered as she stood onto the flat land of the village and caught up with her guide.

The women, men and children began to stare at the tall man as he walked into the village with open arms as though he was offering a hug to the onlookers. People came to a stand-still as they watched the man and woman edge closer and closer toward the centre of the village. "Riley," Willow whispered words of warning.

"Just wait for it," Riley reassured her. Men wearing next to nothing and holding pointed wooden spears emerged from some of the huts and pointed their weapons at the intruders. Willow watched as a terrified girl, no older than 7, dropped from a tree gracefully and ran as fast as her tiny legs would carry her toward the large hut that Riley pointed out. She was in their for no longer than 10 seconds when a hefty African man in a large and feathered headdress sporting various tribal markings all over his chest and large belly exited his hut holding the little girl by the hand. He glared upon the intruders with a pensive stare as he watched them point their spears to Riley's and Willow's necks. The hunters awaited their orders from the fat man in the headdress.

The man, whom Willow assumed to be the chief, asserted something in a language she'd never heard and the hunters lowered their spears. Both Willow and Riley where grabbed and their hands were held behind their backs. They were forcefully pushed through the village receiving horrified looks from the natives along the way until they came into contact with the chief's home. The sigils and symbols on the wall seemed to fluxuate and glow as Willow crossed the threshold and the chief surveyed this pensively. The inside of the chiefs hut was a lot different than Willow had expected it to be. There was an actual sofa, it was a bit worse for wear, but still a sofa, a bed with actual sheets and a toilet system from what Willow could see through one of the arches in the walls. The Native hunters tossed Willow and Riley upon a tattered rug in front of the sofa and then looked to the chief for further instructions. Willow shot Riley worried looks but he gave her a cheeky wink that scared her even more. _What was he doing?_

The chief muttered something to the hunters and they bowed their heads and exited the hut with spears in hand. Willow and Riley lay silent on the dirty rug as the chief paced in a circle around them with a stern look. He lingered his gaze over Willow. He suddenly stopped and breathed in huge gusts of air that seemed to take the oxygen out of you and then…grinned an amazing happy grin. Willow was flabbergasted and didn't know what to make of it. She looked to Riley and found he was smiling that exact same grin that the chief was. "Riley!" the chief boomed with open arms. Riley rose to his feet and opened his arms too.

"Chief Nuwengu!" Riley smiled as he embraced the fat man like he would a family member.

"I told you years ago that this was a dangerous place for you boy," the Chief said with a deep African accent, "My people don't welcome the pale man and for good reason, they bring guns and destroy our lands."

"And if we didn't bring those guns then your lands would have been **completely **destroyed by the Savalti's," Riley replied. The two men continued to trade playful banter while Willow rose to her feet and dusted herself off. Riley began, "Chief, this is-"

"Willow Rosenberg," the man hummed in awe, his accent becoming increasingly prominent the more he spoke English.

"How did you-" before Riley could finish, the chief cut him off.

"Why are you here, child?" Nuwengu asked.

"You mean you don't already know?" Willow asked with a raised eyebrow. The Chief smiled.

"When my hunters spoke of a sorceress with black eyes out deep in the jungle I feared an attack and set to work on placing sigils around the camp and on my home. Now I see the source of that power is you child. I sensed your power a few years ago," the chief began pacing around Willow curiously, "just shortly after Riley Finn saved my people. Your essence reached out in black tendrils and wrapped themselves around the lungs of those who could feel your pain. I am sorry…about Tara," the chief continued pacing.

"How is it that you know so much about me?" Willow asked.

"Why is it you have come all this way?" Nuwengu asked ignoring her question.

"Well…lately…things have been…I've been-and I can't…it's just," Willow stammered.

"You fear you've lost control of your powers and they're hurting the ones you love," Nuwengu added. Willow smiled her agreement. She was to ashamed to say that herself so she was glad somebody did.

"I was told you could help me," Willow asked.

"And I can," Nuwengu promised.

* * *

Author's Note: Hey, it's me, again. How are you guys? Hope you're still interested in this and thank you to all of my loyal reviewers. So here's the deal, I'm aiming to finish this episode before June because in June I have 8 GCSE's to deal with. Two math, two geography, one history and three science exams all in one month. I'm sorry I took about two weeks to start this episode it's just because of all my schoolwork. Trust me, I'd much rather be doing this. I'm aware this chapter is a little shorter than others but I just wanted to give you all an update so you know I'm still here and still writing.

thank you for reading.


	14. Episode 15: Chapter 2

Buffy the Vampire Slayer  
Season 8 Episode 15  
The Truth is Out There  
Chapter 2.

Buffy left the basement late that night. She couldn't remember how long she'd been down there but from the appearance of the straw-filled training dummy it had been a couple of hours. She'd set foot in the main hall to find the last patrol of girls coming home. Buffy wondered what the teachers of the High School must think when the girls arrive in the morning. At least three quarters of the Slayers in training where below 18 and lately after patrols the girls where coming home with cuts and bruises that even Slayer powers took time to heal. Buffy stood still and watched the eleven girls limp through the threshold and up the stairs. Buffy held the collar of her suede grey jacket as she released a tired breath. She heard the ruffled sniffling of some of the girls and looked closely at their faces. Tear streams fell down their cheeks as they did their best to get safely to their rooms. Buffy inclined her head in a confused expression when she noticed that only ten of the eleven girls she'd scheduled had climbed the main stairs of the manor.  
Andrea, a 21 year old Slayer who had survived the battle in the Hellmouth, closed the manor door and dropped her head in her hands in exasperation. Buffy slowly edged towards her. "Andrea?" Buffy called softly.

"Oh," sniffled Andrea, "Buffy, you're up," she said.

"Andrea, w-what's happened?" Buffy stammered.

"It's um…it's Ana-Lucia…Buffy she's um-we did the best we could…they just…" Andrea didn't have the heart or strength to say what needed to be said. But Buffy, who had dealt with death all her life, knew what had happened. Ana-Lucia was a 15 year-old Hispanic girl who'd made the choice to stay at the North America '_Slayer Central_' after the watcher's council had gotten rebuilt. Buffy had never taken the chance to get to know the girl, she hadn't with a lot of the girls, but the news hit her like a stake through the heart.

"V-vampire?" Buffy stuttered; her gaze cold and stuck.

"Not of the normal variety but…yeah," Andrea sniffled as she tried to keep herself together.

"How many?" Buffy asked.

"They…they were so fast I couldn't even begin to guess. They were waiting for us Buffy…I knew going down that alley was a stupid idea but it had just gotten so late and with school…they ambushed us Buffy…they took the world from beneath our feet and they twisted it," Andrea told with an icy stare. "I didn't even know they'd d-dragged her out because there were just so many. What're we gonna do Buffy?" Andre asked with her tears rolling down her mocha skinned cheeks.

"We'll uh, have a…service…or something…I guess I'll call her parents and they can have the-"

"_Body?_What Body? Buffy there isn't a body left to bury," Andrea snapped interrupting her fellow vampire slayer.

The rushing images that flooded through Buffy's mind felt like a slap in the face. _'There isn't a body left to bury'_. The words rung in her head as she tried to deal with the situation rationally. Buffy knew the situation with the sun-resistant vamps was a bad one, but she never had the time to deal with it. It was always one thing after another since she'd left Sunnydale.  
Willow going missing, getting her back, the spirits in the manor, Cordelia coming back and saving Chris and killing the Troxen, rescuing Dana, dealing with Amy and Wolfram and Hart, saving Dawn from zombie high, re-killing the master, Nicholas being stabbed, Willow going off the deep end, Dawn and her werewolf boyfriend drama…she could have gone on all night. And let's not forget our fashionable mysterious man in the suit who keeps popping up in all the wrong places and not to mention whatever is going on with Faith's abilities. She decided enough was enough.

* * *

Buffy walked Andrea to her room and headed towards Giles's office. Buffy had noticed a change in attitude with Giles over the last few weeks; he seemed off with her but for the life of her she didn't know why. She saw the light streaking out from below the door of his office and guessed he was still awake too. She knocked on the wood and waited for a reply that she never got. Impatiently opening the door and walking in expecting to see Giles asleep behind his desk, Buffy instead found a Giles-less room of musty books. She breathed a deep breath in and walked to his desk. She looked confused at the books she found there.  
_'Aurelius: A Guide to the Vampyr.'  
'The Mythology of the Hellmouth.'  
'Resurrection: A Codex on the re-living after a supernatural Death.'_

"Looking for something in particular, Buffy?" Giles asked from behind the Slayer. Buffy dropped the books and whirled round to find Giles leaning on the doorway wearing a grey jumper with his arms folded. "You've been crying," he acknowledged.

"Giles…something's happened," Buffy told.

Buffy spent the better part of a half hour repeating what she'd been told by Andrea in the main hall. Giles was taken aback by the news. Ana-Lucia's death was the first since the death of the eight girls after the Man in the Suit ambushed Rona's patrol. Giles didn't know Ana-Lucia very well either, but the news struck him hard. Buffy went on to say "…and there…there isn't even a b-body we can bury…I just don't know what to do. I guess we should call her family but Ohio is a long way from Spain."

"I don't think there's a family to call Buffy," Giles told.

"I thought you said you didn't know her?" Buffy asked confused.

"I meant I didn't know her personally," Giles acknowledged. He pulled a file from a draw labelled _Girls 13-16._"You have a file?" Buffy asked inclining her head toward the thin fold of black plastic.

"Part of the agreement that we could still get our funds from the frozen Watcher's Council accounts was that I document everything," Giles replied.

"Do I got a file?" Buffy asked.

"Yours needed a much bigger draw," Giles replied. Buffy smiled. "Ana-Lucia was given to her watcher when she was very young…it would be impossible to find her real family without Willow."

"Speaking of, she's been gone for over a week now, Giles," Buffy echoed worried.

"I'm sure Willow's just getting the help she needs," Giles replied.

"I hope you're right," Buffy replied.

Buffy watched curiously as Giles pushed the folder back in the draw and tried casually to place the books that Buffy had seen back on the shelf. Buffy wondered about how her and Giles had spoken that night, like it were like old times, they had barely looked at each other lately, especially after his and her argument about Dawn last week. "Giles, we're okay right?" she asked timidly. Giles eyes darted from his slayer.

"Of course," he lied with shaking fingers turning to angry fists. Giles wasn't ready to let Buffy know that Chris had told him about Spike, now especially with Ana-Lucia's death. Changing the subject back, Giles said, "perhaps we should let the girls who were on patrol with Andrea tonight stay home from school tomorrow."

"Yeah I think that's a good idea, do you think I should check on them?" she asked.

"I think it's best to let them sleep for now," Giles replied.

* * *

Willow breathed a sigh of relief when she found out that her long, sweaty and dangerous journey across the equator was not wasted. Chief Nuwengu, although he seemed the lovable tubby grandfather type, showed a smug smile that made Willow think that the methods by which he could help her may have consequences. "How? H-how can you help me?" she asked.

"We'll have to wait for sundown," the Chief echoed as Willow bit her lip anxiously.

* * *

Daylight shone through the thin drapes of Dawn's bedroom. The light creaked its way up the bed as the sun rose over the lake before it lay faintly on Dawn's eyes causing her to wake up. Her eyes opened lazily after not having much sleep after her dream and talk with Nicholas. She kicked the quilt off of her sore body and grabbed her sling from the bedside table. She wrapped it over her pyjama shirt and shot a look to the photograph of her mother. Dawn had a hard day ahead of her and she just wanted her mother to tell her that she was her little _pumpkin-belly_ and that everything would be okay.

She descended the numerous flights of stairs that were required to get to the dinner table and sat down between Abbey and Carmen. They both wished her good morning but Dawn preferred to lightly smile instead of indulge in meaningless small talk. Her mind was consumed with dread of confronting Chase and Katie about what they where and how they would react. Katie would think Dawn was a nut-job for sure and she hoped the least Chase would do is run away. "_Breakfast!_" Andrew sang as he and Faith pulled a huge trolley out of the old closed door.  
Waffles and Pancakes and Juice and Fruit littered the table as the girls began to tuck in. Dawn reached for the enormous jug of orange juice when she saw Buffy and Giles descend the stairs together. Dawn had noticed they hadn't been getting along lately too and smiled at the image until she noticed her sister looking more tired than she did. Faith, who grossly consumed everything in sight, picked up on it too and Buffy signalled her over. Faith caught Buffy and Giles in mid conversation.

"…I went in earlier this morning and switched off all of their alarms clocks," Giles went on to say.

"I guess I'll take this mornings patrol and when I get back I'll just talk to 'em," Buffy suggested.

"And say what?" Giles asked.

"I don't know," Buffy said as she wiped her hands over her face in exasperation.

"What's the big?" Faith asked.

"We uh, we lost a girl last night," Buffy struggled.

"Who?" Faith asked startlingly companionate.

"Ana-Lucia," Giles answered her. "Andrea's patrol was jumped and they were to fast."

"Where?" Faith asked, her eyebrows narrowing and her face becoming stern.

"An Alley near 5th on Main," Buffy replied. Faith turned swiftly, her brown curly hair falling onto her upper back.

"Faith, wait," Buffy said a little louder than she intended.

"For what B? More girls to get killed? Since we've been here this is girl number nine we've lost and I will be damned if I let that get to double-digits," she said. "I should be able to track them from the alley."

"And then what? Faith if 12 slayers couldn't take them out what makes you think you can?" Buffy warned.

"The first rule of slayin' B? Don't die…we let Ana Lucia down and you can either sit your blonde ass down with the newbies or you can get your coat and do what we were chosen to do." Life seemed to flow into Buffy's cheeks as she felt the urge to be the Slayer she hadn't been lately. Since returning from _Wolfram & Hart_and fighting the Master again Buffy wasn't the slayer she used to be.

"Get your coat," Buffy ordered, "This ends now, the guy in the suit, the vampires, everything, it's time we put a stop to it," Buffy preached.

"Nice to see you again, B," Faith winked.

* * *

Buffy, knowing everything Dawn was going through in her own world, didn't want to worry her so she told her she had to run some important errands with Faith and that she shouldn't worry and should concentrate on school and helping Chase. Dawn saw right through this but knew her sister only lied to her to keep her safe. Then Buffy and Faith entered the basement and Buffy broke open her personal weapons chest and beamed proudly at the crimson Scythe that lay in the wooden crate in front of her. She gripped her fingers around the hilt and held it close to her chest. "Let's go," Faith said, grabbing the standard stake from the table.

"Wait," Buffy said. From behind the manual book case, Buffy pulled the mysterious sword that Willow and Nicholas had recovered from Amy and the man in the suit a couple weeks ago.

"What is it?" Faith asked.

"Willow and Nicholas brought it to the house a couple weeks after stealing it from that weird guy in the suit and Amy. They went through a lot of trouble to make sure we didn't get our hands on it. Giles doesn't know what it is but y'know…here, just in case," Buffy said.

"Aren't we gonna attract the wrong type of person, two hot chicks like ourselves sporting some rockin' weapons in broad daylight?" Faith grinned.

"On a Hellmouth? I think people have seen weirder," Buffy said, handing Faith the sword. Faith reached out to take it. "So are you sure once we get to the alley that you'll…Faith?" Faith had taken the hilt of the sword and became instantly mesmerised. Her eyes changed from their usual dark brown colour to a fluxuating pink and purple glow. The same colour from Faith eyes seemed to glow from her back…from her tattoo. Faith's roots were becoming darker and straighter and her features seemed to be changing. Faith stared at the sword blankly seemingly unaware of what was happening.  
Buffy, panicking, gripped Faith by the shoulder and the glowing light around her and in her eyes disappeared completely. Faith blinked vigorously before shaking out of Buffy's grip and giving her a confused look.

"Alright, don't get pushy B, let's go," Faith said, turning with the sword in hand.

"Faith, what was that?" Buffy asked wide-eyed.

"What was what?" Faith asked confused.

* * *

After sitting in the chiefs house for hours waiting for sundown and convincing the natives that Willow and Riley were not a threat to them, the sky over the jungle turned a hazy pink and blue colour and the last streaks of light where beginning to fade through the tall trees. "It is time," Nuwengu announced.

"Finally!" Riley rejoiced.

"Not you son," Nuwengua snapped.

"What?" Riley complained.

"What he said," Willow said nervously.

"This part of the journey is for you alone," the chief told in his deep African accent. Willow looked nervous. "Once you come with me, there is no turning back," Nuwengu warned.  
Like an old silent movie, in her mind, Willow watched herself tear the skin from Warren's body, she watched herself scar Xanders' face with scratches, draining the dark arts books, fighting with Buffy…

"Let's go," she said.

Willow hugged Riley and received his words of warning before reassuring him that she would be fine. Nuwengua grabbed a large wooden staff and both he and Willow headed out into the jungle. The village was quiet, eerily quiet, no light, not wind, just the village. As the Chief and the Witch neared the edge of the jungle Nuwengu thudded his staff to the floor and the top of it erupted in bright blue flames. "This way," he issued. He led Willow through a path of dead grass and leaves, over a quiet steams and through about a half a mile of trees before they reached their destination. Willow's feet ached from the journey and she did her best to adjust her toes in her hiking boots as she looked upon the scene in front of her.  
A sort of crop circle had been carved in the jungle and around the circle where four fire torches that lit up a small hut in the centre. Here, the wind howled and the stars shone brighter than Willow had ever seen. The wind blew open the cloth like material door of the hut and inside Willow could see a burning fire.

"Where are we?" Willow asked.

"Salvation," Nuwengu echoed. The chief inclined his huge feathered hat toward the hut and Willow shot her glance towards it.

"This is all making as much sense as," Willow turned back to Nuwengu but instead found an empty circle of fire and dead grass, "something that's not making sense," she continued. "Here goes nothin'," Willow announced as she trudged toward the weak material hut. Once inside, Willow found the hut was too low for her to properly stand up and so she sat cross-legged in front of the fire. _What now?_Willow wondered as she stared at the fire. It was then that she noticed the fire wasn't burning on wood or grass but in mid air. Mesmerised, Willow's gaze lingered on the fire and in a few short seconds the fire turned a hazy blue colour. Willow closed her eyes and thought of nothing, she let her mind hollow out to make room for the help she sought for desperately. Feeling as though she was spinning, Willow continued to concentrate on the void that was forming in her mind.

"Psssst!" called a voice. Willow ignored it and concentrated still.

"**Psssst!**" the voice hissed again. Willow tried her hardest to keep her eyes closed.

"Oh for heavens sake, **Willow!**" a familiar voice complained.

"Anya! Do you mind! I'm trying to…_Anya_?" Willow snapped opening her eyes and then widening them at the blonde woman peering inside the hut.

* * *

Author's Note: *cry cry cry cry cry* I'm so sorry it took over three weeks for this. I hope your still interested but I can't blame you if you're not. I'm doing my best to begin episode 16 before my exams start next Monday but like I said with studying and preparing for 8 whole GCSE's…I just wish I had more time. Thankfully though I'm off for a week so i'm going to kick myself in the ass everyday to finish this episode within the week and start episode 16.  
I have to think my reviewers of my last chapter as always :Boris Yeltsin, Jeremy Shane, Calilily, twin who likes to travel, em . lbh and PrincessAlicia. I love you guys.  
So you know in the summary of the last chapter, I have a feeling I might take a different path but I might not so don't pay too much attention to it but if I do change the plot of the episode I'll go back and change the summary.  
Please review  
and  
Thanks for reading  
xx.


	15. Episode 15: Chapter 3

Buffy the Vampire Slayer  
Season 8, Episode 15  
The Truth is Out There  
Chapter 3

Dawn glared at the two Slayers, Buffy and Faith, as they left the manor with Scythe and sword in hand. Dawn noticed the confused and worried undertone to Buffy's expression as she looked to her sister. Buffy thought it best not to bring up what happened in the basement when Faith touched the sword until she'd spoken with Giles first. Buffy knew that Faith would only get defensive and put on her macho 'nothing bothers me' face. Besides, Buffy was completely dead set on the task ahead. This being finding the man in the suit and putting something very sharp in his chest and sending Amy's ass to jail for a gazillion years. She hoped that doing so would be the end of the weirdly organised sunlight resistant vamps and they could finally get back too some semblance of the norm.  
Faith shut the door behind her and the two slayers headed in the direction or the alley where Andrea's patrol was jumped and Ana-Lucia was killed.

* * *

Dawn picked herself up from the dining room table after that bite of breakfast she almost had. Her tummy had the wiggins because of her worry of the day ahead of her. Chase knew Dawn was going back to school that day and he was going to pick her up in his car at the end of the private roads the huge manor was situated on. She headed upstairs and began her usual morning routine of shower, make-up, clothes and shoes. She twirled her wrist around her alarm clock and read 08:30 am. She threw her sling over shoulder and placed her injured arm inside of it before closing her door and making her way back down the stairs. Dawn was beginning to regret her decision of having her room on the top floor, climbing all those stairs was giving her knee cramps.  
Before going to bed that night she'd rehearsed what she was going to say to Chase when she got into his car. "Hey, you're a werewolf and in about three weeks you're going to sprout fur from every pour of your body and want to attack and kill people" was out of the question. Assuming he hadn't already figured it out that is. Dawn was astonished that Katie had changed twice already and not caught on to her…condition. Dawn grabbed her bag from next to the manor door and began descending the private roads.  
She rounded the corner and saw Chases car pulled up against the kerb. He beeped his horn when he saw her. He waved out of the drivers seat window. He wore a plain dark blue t-shirt and jeans, his short but shaggy hair catching the light of the sun. The sight of him gave Dawn even more tummy wiggins, but in a good way.  
With a bit more of a spring in her step she walked to take shotgun in the car. "Hey," he greeted her, "how're you feeling?" he asked.

"Better I guess," she said before he leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. She watched his shirt ruffle and spotted the white cloth bandage that covered his neck where Katie had bitten him. It was official, she was dating a werewolf. "So how're you?" she asked.

"Good, had my tetanus shot after that dog at the party took a chunk out of my shoulder, but yeah I'm doing good. Missed you at school," he said.

"How's Katie?" Dawn asked, ignoring his nice sentiment.

"What?" he asked puzzled.

"Is she okay?" she asked.

"I guess so, she says she bailed the party before the dog came in because it was getting lame," Chase said.

"Yeah right," Dawn mumbled.

Chase began, "Why're you so interested in-"

"We should get going before Fischer sends out a hunting party," Dawn interrupted him.

* * *

Willow stared amazed at the blonde perky woman with a red lipstick smile whose head was peering around the cloth door of the ripe smelling tent in the middle of the Central American jungle. Anya Jenkins, ex-vengeance demon and the love of her best friends' life was staring right at her. The fact that Anya was in Central America was not what was baffling Willow, but that around 8 months ago, Anya was killed in the battle of the Sunnydale Hellmouth. "You gonna sit in there and drool at me all day or can we get a move on?" Anya asked.

"Anya you're-"

"Pretty?"

"I was going with dead," Willow replied.

"Oh right yeah, I'd imagine this is kinda weird for you so why don't we take a couple seconds to adjust," Anya suggested. After the three seconds Willow counted in her head, Anya continued. "Okay, all done? Let's go."

"Go where?" Willow asked. Anya pulled her head out from the cloth door and ignored Willow completely. The witch got on all fours and crawled out of the tent, gently pushing the cloth out of the way.

Her eyes adjusted to the change in light. She could have sworn when she'd crawled into the tent it was night time and she was still in Central America however when she crawled out she found something completely different. She found herself staring at the back of Anya's blonde head in the middle of the Sunnydale High School library. Willow took in the familiar sight that she hadn't seen for almost 5 years. Well actually she'd seen it since then but it was just extra extra crispy and littered with the remains of a 50ft snake. Willow looked wide-eyed at Giles' office with the black cat picture in the window, the centre table where the high school scoobies would go into research mode and defeat the monster of the week, the upper levels where she'd found Xander and Cordelia making out, the place where she first felt like she'd had a purpose.  
She turned around but instead of finding the poorly constructed tent, she found Giles book cage. "This is…this is the library," Willow stated blankly.

"Yeah I know, wasn't my favourite place I can tell you that, just lost my powers and you people insisted on coming here. But we thought you'd be more comfortable here," Anya replied turning to the red head.

"We?" Willow asked.

"The Powers that Be," Anya replied.

"The powers that- you work for the powers that be?" Willow asked, her brow raised in disbelief.

"Yeah it's this whole big thing," Anya replied. Anya propped herself onto the counter and twiddled her thumbs while Willow stood blankly confused.

"So now what?" Willow asked.

"Oh! Right!" Anya said bouncing back onto the floor.

The centre table where the scoobies used to sit was encased in light and the empty chairs where soon filled with bodies. The upper level of the stacks echoed this light and a long desk with a large dark red cushioned chair appeared. Willow looked to Anya in confusion as she recognised the faces that had appeared in the centre table chairs. Buffy, Xander, Tara, Kennedy, Giles and Warren Mears. Anya nodded casually toward the desk up on the upper levels where the stacks used to be. One of the tallest and mean looking demons Willow had ever seen appeared in the red cushioned chair. His skin looked like silver acrylic paint and his body was muscled in every corner, his eyes were crimson read and an oozing bullet wound could be seen at the side of his head. The demon rose until he towered over the desk and Willow prepared to be sending flying across the room or roared at at the very least. "Hey, I'm Skip," the demon said unexpectedly. Willow waved as casually as she could. She then turned to Anya who was now standing beside her. "Anya, good to see the powers gave you your first charge," Skip said enthusiastically.

"Right! I mean don't get me wrong I was hoping for somebody a little more famous, Britney Spears, Jenifer Aniston, Elvis…" Anya stopped herself when she saw the look on Willow face. "Um Anya Jenkins for the defence," Anya announced.

"So noted," Skip said as he sat back down in the chair.

"What? What's going on?" Willow asked.

"You're being put on trial. The Powers are starting to think that you're less good than you're worth Will, it's a big deal up there," Anya informed.

"On trial? I didn't come here to be put on trial I came to get help! Help is good, trial? Not so much," Willow complained. "The last time something like this happened I ended up being responsible for a new breed of vampires who can rip a slayer apart and I came down with a serious case of the who am I's."

"Trust me," Skip began, "this is better than the alternative. But ol' Anya here fought tooth and nail to give you a fair trial." Willow smiled warmly to her dead friend who returned the smile proudly.

"So I'm guessing these aren't actually my friends or my girlfriends or…people that I've flayed alive," Willow tried to say as casually as she could.

"Bingo," Skip answered. "They're just here to give their opinion on the issue that they have or had when they died." Willow gave Anya a strange look.

"I need a moment to confer and converse and...so forth...with my client," Anya said in a bad impression of professionalism.

"What's up?" Anya asked, her lipstick smile warming as they moved out of earshot of Skip.

"What's up? That's what you're leading with? What's up?" Willow asked.

"Look I get that this isn't what you had in mind, but best case scenario, you come out of this with your power intact and better off for it," Anya said positively.

"And worst case scenario?" Willow asked.

"Well…let's not dwell on the negatives, let's get this show on the road shall we!" Anya announced.

"Anya-"

"The defence calls its first witness, Willow's second girl friend, Kennedy," Anya said.

* * *

Buffy and Faith walked through the Cleveland streets on alert for anything out of the ordinary. Passers by, considering it was about 9 in the morning, assumed that the scythe and sword where a prop from a renaissance fair or a live-action role playing convention but the weapons weren't from any comic books they'd ever seen. Buffy shot the occasional concerned glance to her fellow Slayer, down in the basement, when Faith held the sword and went all pink supernova, she didn't even seem to know it had happened and looked to Buffy like she was nuts. Buffy had already decided that she would talk to Giles about it first before confronting Faith. However, Buffy was a women and naturally curious. "So what's up with you lately?" Buffy asked outrightly.

"What?" Faith asked.

"I mean you know, you seem kinda…different," Buffy hinted. Faith knew where B was going with this. Faith flashed back to the gauntlet and confronting her teenage murderous self, then to the gauntlet where she was faced with the decision of coming into contact with a second dreamcatcher or taking a portal back to the manor. She couldn't tell B what was happening, not yet.

"Haven't noticed," Faith dodged as they rounded a corner.

"But-"

"This is it," Faith said interrupting her as the two Slayers stood staring down the dark alley.

"How do you know?" Buffy asked. Faith nodded toward the dented dumpsters and the sneaker marked tarmac that made it obvious of the struggle. A loud growl could suddenly be heard from the two buildings either side of the alley's fire escapes. Suddenly, three vampires, two girls and a man, dropped into the sunlight in front of both the Slayers.

"Also the three vampires in direct sunlight guarding the alley is a bit of a dead give away," Faith told.

The two female vampires charged for Buffy and Faith while the male vamp watched enthusiastically.  
The brunette short haired vampire with a low cut black shirt and dark jeans went for Buffy with a scissor kick. Buffy blocked this and grabbed the vamps foot by the heel of her shoe. The vamp swung from the floor and using Buffy as leverage, spun into the air and whacked Buffy to the jaw with her other foot. Buffy stumbled backwards and lost hold of the Scythe. It fell to the pavement with a twanging thud. The vampire launched for it but Buffy forward rolled in front of it and caught the vamp in the chest with her boot and it was sent hurtling into the brick wall. Buffy rebounded up and grabbed the Scythe again. She caught the brunette in the face with the wooden hilt and then with the flat edge of the blade she hit the vamp in the hip sending it to the floor. Buffy hurled the wooden hilt into the vampire's chest and it turned to dust the old fashioned way.  
Meanwhile, a blonde crimped haired vampire vaulted at Faith. Faith swung with the mysterious sword and missed the vampire by millimetres. It dodged out of the way and caught Faith in the nose with an upercutting knee blow. Faith's head was flung backwards but the slayer used this force to rotate herself around to catch the vamp bitch in the jaw with a backhand fist. The force of this blow sent the blond vampire shooting meters down the alleyway until she crashed upon a dumpster next to the bystanding male vampire who still retained his human features. Faith bounded after the vamp and before it had time to recover, Faith landed onto the dumpster and sent the blade of the sword through the throat of the vamp. It left a neat pile of dusty ashes upon the lid. Faith dropped down in time to see that Buffy had finished off her vamp too. Faith grabbed the male vampire by the throat and held him against the wall. Faith was about to plunge her sword into it's throat when she heard words of caution coming from B's direction.

"Let him go," Buffy ordered.

"You're trippin'," Faith replied.

"I said **let him go**," Buffy repeated herself aggressively. Faith rolled her eyes and let the vamp drop to the floor. It scamped of back down the alley with all the speed his legs would take him.

"Why did you just-"

"Think about it, twice a Slayer or two has come across this alley and twice sed Slayer has been attacked," Buffy said.

"So there's obviously something down this alley that the vamps don't want team Good to get to," Faith added. Buffy nodded. "See B," Faith continued, "this is why you're the one in charge and i just hhit things."

"Let's go," Buffy said, gripping the Scythe a little tighter.

* * *

Chase and Dawn pulled up outside the school and he parked up on the kerb and took the keys from the ignition. "Dawn," he began, "did I do something to piss you off? Is that why you haven't called me all week?"

"What?" Dawn asked.

"I mean I thought you just had a lot on your mind and that you were recovering, I mean it's not everyday a fully stocked cabinet falls on you," he said.

"_You'd be surprised,_" she thought.

"But you've barely said a word on the way here from your house," he acknowledged. "You can talk to me Dawn."

"Chase it…it's not you…well it…is you…but it's not you're fault…y'see you couldn't have known…you wouldn't have been able to…of course if she hadn't been y'know in the first place then you wouldn't be…but you are and you can't change that…and I don't know how to tell you-"

"Dawn you're making the kind of sense that's…not," Chase said wide-eyed and confused.

"God, I'm saying this all wrong," Dawn mumbled.

"Saying what all wrong?" he asked agitated.

"_Oh God, this is it,_" she thought. She'd been thinking of ways to bring the subject of the party and the…wild dog…up in conversation while she was in the car but it all sounded to random and now that the situation was happening all she was doing was making it worse and the confused and worried expression dripping off her boyfriends face made her usual excited tummy wiggins seem to have a stroke. "This is going to sound completely nuts," Dawn said as she severed the eye contact they had been keeping.

"Hey," he said sincerely grabbing her chin gently in his hands and turning her face toward him, "you can tell me anything." Dawn released a breath she didn't even know she was holding. She didn't mean to blurt it out like that; it was just like word vomit. She was so eager to get it over with that she just threw it out of her like a gag reflex.

"You're a werewolf," she stated. Chase's brow furrowed in confusion and an awkward half smile spread across his face.

"What?" he asked.

* * *

Author's Note: To those crazy readers who are still following this and believe in me, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. I can't believe this update took a month. I don't even have a good enough excuse as to why it took so long just that I'm coming to the end of my school year and I'm trying to keep up, I have one exam left on Wednesday and I thought, this weekend it the weekend I'm going to finish episode 15.  
So as of July 2010 I began this story, and considering it's July 1st 2011 I thought it appropriate that today off all days should have an update. Thank you to everyone who has followed this. I never counted on the time it's taken to write this and I've only written almost 15 episodes in an entire year. You can see I fail at life and I'm sorry to those who have lost interest in this because of my slow updates.  
I worked on this all day so I hope you liked it.  
Here's to a year of FanFiction. Happy anniversary to me *woop woop*. I promise I will finish this episode by Sunday night at the latest.  
Again, thank you to EVERYONE who has EVER sent a review to me.


	16. Episode 15: Chapter 4

Buffy the Vampire Slayer  
Season 8 Episode 15  
The Truth is Out There  
Chapter 4

The echo of Kennedy stood up from her chair around the centre table of the old Sunnydale High School Library. She wore a red short sleeved shirt and black cords. Skip, from the upper level of stacks, wrote this down on a piece of white paper on the long desk he was sat behind. Willow hadn't seen Kennedy for weeks. She remembered their argument about how Cordelia had called her Tara by mistake, remembered arguing with her in their room back at the manor and returning home to find all of Kennedy's things gone from the wardrobe and the single note saying _sorry_. She remembered the cold feeling of crawling up onto Kennedy's side of the bed and crying herself to sleep.  
Then she noticed Tara, staring blankly into the book cage. Willow found it so queer to see both Kennedy and Tara within touching distance of each other. She also found it strange that seeing Kennedy was hurting her more than seeing Tara. She guessed it was because the last time she'd seen Tara the Goddess Hecate was wearing her shape and slapping her around purgatory. Still though, that ache of loss still burnt in her heart at the sight of the love of her life, Tara.

"Your witness," Skip opened. Willow stood uncomfortably next to Anya as she waited for Anya to say something.

"Kennedy, what exactly is your current relationship with my client?" Anya asked.

"We're…ex right now," Kennedy replied blankly. The girl talking back to Anya was not Kennedy and Willow knew this for certain. Kennedy was exciting and new, but this was just an echo of her, a blank, lifeless echo.

"But, while you were together, what was your relationship like?" Anya pried.

"Willow was resistant at first. The death of her first girlfriend left open wounds that to this day I will never be able to fill. I loved her so much, but she could never return those feelings," Kennedy hummed.

"How can you say that?" Willow asked deeply hurt and angry. She was then silenced by Skip banging a large gavel on his desk.

"So you're saying that the subject of Willow's magic was not an issue in your relationship?" Anya asked.

"No, Willow's power gave me the strength I need to be a Slayer, I'm very grateful to Willow for that," Kennedy finished.

"Thank you," Anya began, "you're honour if the prosecution has nothing to add the defence would like to call the second witness," Anya said.

"Prosecution?" Willow asked worried.

"Oh right!" Skip said. "Prosecutor, do you have anything to add?"

"Why yes your honour, I do indeed," Warren Meers said as he rose from his seat around the centre table.

"But I thought he was-" Willow stammered.

"Sorry it kinda slipped my mind," Anya apologised. "I swear I took a note of it in this mornings briefing."

"You have briefings?" Willow asked.

"Can we please continue?" Skip interjected. "I've got a face peel at noon."

"Of course your honour," Warren said. He was yet to even acknowledge Willow's presence in the Library styled court room. While Warren started up small talk with Kennedy's echo Willow turned to Anya.

"So is that actually, y'know, him?" Willow whispered.

"More or less, The Powers pulled him from one of the milder Hell Dimensions where he was sent after he died, so he could argue fairly against you," Anya informed.

"Fairly? Anya I flayed the guy alive, I'm not to confident in his ability to fight fairly," Willow said. "God knows I didn't," she mumbled guiltily.

"So you met the witch when exactly?" Warren was saying.

"When my watcher was killed and I was taken to Sunnydale for protection," Kennedy's echo replied.

"I would like the court to recognise that this was after the witch's fall into darkness," Warren added.

"Objection! Willow turning evil was something that the prosecution himself was responsible for!" Anya complained loudly.

"Overruled," Skip announced silencing Anya. "Prosecution continue."

"Thank you your honour," Warren turned back to Kennedy, "And is it true that you are no longer in a romantic relationship with the defendant?"

"Yes."

"How long ago did this relationship end?" he asked.

"About three months ago," Kennedy said.

"Your honour I believe this witness is irrelevant to the subject of whether the defendant should be allowed to continue her practice of magic on the grounds that she has never seen nor come into contact with the person the witch becomes when she gives into the evil that is within her," Warren suggested.

"Can the defence disprove this accusation?" Skip asked.

"Well we…Kennedy is…I-I," Anya stammered as she looked to Willow in worry.

"The court sides with the prosecution on the issue of false witness," Skip announced banging the gavel. Anya and Willow exchanged worried looks as Kennedy's echo faded away leaving nothing in its place. Willow glanced over to Warren who had finally turned to look at her.

"You're going down, bitch," he spat, each syllable dripping with hateful venom.

* * *

Chase looked at Dawn with a completely dumfounded and baffled expression. Although this expression was contradicted by the humoured smile on his face. Dawn was pretty good a reading a person, but at that moment all her junior watcher skills went out of Chase's expensive car window. "What?" he asked.

"I said you're a werewolf," Dawn replied as casually as she could.

"No not 'what' as in _I didn't hear you_ what as in _what're you talking about_," he said.

"Katie's party, the wild dog that animal control never found…Chase have you ever seen a dog that looked anything like that?" Dawn said. Chases' smile was fading as he remembered the horrific animal that tore into the muscle of his shoulder.

"But that's…that's not possible. Dawn, that stuff it's…it's make believe," Chase argued trying to save his sanity.

"Oh believe me, not much of the stuff we see in the movies is fake," Dawn said.

"This is some kind of joke," Chase said, his smile completely faded from his face.

"Do you see me laughing?" Dawn asked.

"But I went to the clinic, I got the shot and the doctor said everything was fine!" he said.

"Western medicine isn't as advanced as we'd all like to believe," Dawn argued. Dawn envied the ignorant school girls and boys that she passed in the halls all day. The ones that weren't afraid of taking shortcuts home at night and those who thought that the creaking floorboards downstairs was a burglar at the worst and not a cult of vampires come to kill your sister. She'd do anything she could to make sure somebody she cared about could retain their ignorance, but when the reality of the world you live in grabs on and pulls you in, fighting against it leaves you worse off.

Instead of fighting the world, you should fight the things that make the world hard to be in. She and her family and friends were everything that represented this philosophy.

"I don't believe you," Chase said, taking his eyes from hers.

"So you're saying that you haven't noticed things different about you since that night?" Dawn asked. Chase's eyes shot to his shoes. "You haven't been seeing things? Craved red meat? Increased sense of smell and sight? You haven't felt the silverware burn your skin as you reach for the fork at dinner?" Dawn said.

"Stop it," Chase snapped, his voice croaking.

"Chase I'd give anything to not have to tell you this stuff," Dawn replied.

"So what're you saying? What's-what's going to happen to me?" he asked frantically.

"You believe me?" Dawn asked.

"No!" he shouted. "Well I…I believe that you believe it-"

"**I am not crazy**," Dawn said angrily.

"I can't deal with this now," Chase said as he shoved the car keys into his jeans pocket and reached for the latch on the driver's seat door.

"Chase, wait," Dawn said as she followed him out the car a little less gracefully. She slammed the door and walked around the trunk toward him.

"Look, Dawn, I need some…I need time to deal with this, you can't just unload something like this on somebody," Chase said. He was beginning to feel more and more crazy because he was actually starting to believe her.

"I know and I'm sorry but I had to tell you before you-"

"**Hurt someone?**" he snapped. Dawn's mouth sprung shut. He moved around her so he was facing the school gate. "I'll call you later," he said without looking at her. Instead he picked up his backpack that he slung over his uninjured shoulder and walked purposefully toward the school gate. She watched as he did this before picking up her own school bag.

"That could've gone better," she mumbled before making her way to begin another pointless day of American High School.

* * *

Skip took a note of the happenings in the supernatural court while Anya and Willow took time to regroup. "This doesn't look good does it?" Willow asked.

"Gotta say no," Anya replied. "Look's like the nerd is going to pull out all the stops to make you look bad." Willow didn't know how to feel about this. She thought that if she was found that she should be stripped of her ability to use magic, it would be a huge relief, to be able to walk around like a normal person for a change. But in the demonic and evil world she lived in; being a normal girl didn't get you very far. It got you very dead. And plus, with no powers, how was she going to help her friends fight the things that went bump in the night if she couldn't do magic anymore.

"So what do we do?" Willow asked.

"We can call each witness individually and try and get them to shine you in the best possible light…or…we can put all are eggs in one basket," Anya informed. Willow took on an undecided expression.

"Can we please move this along!" Skip shouted.

"C'mon Willow, basket or no basket?" Anya pushed.

_If the fates want me to lose my powers, then however this turns out that's what going to happen_, Willow thought. "Basket," she replied. Anya turned to Warren and then to Skip.

"The defence calls Xander Harris," Anya said.

"So noted," Skip said as Xander's blank echo raised from his seat around the centre table.

"No, the real one," Anya said.

"What?" Warren coughed. "You're not allowed to do that," he said turning to Skip.

"**Do not tell me what I can and can't do, **_**boy**_," Skip snapped, showing the demon that Willow expected to see from first glance. Warren shut his mouth and stepped back.

"I know you can do it Skip," Anya pushed.

"It's not a question of whether I can or can't do it, it's a question of how hard are the powers going to fry me for bringing a mortal carpenter into a cosmic argument," Skip replied.

"He's more than just a mortal carpenter," Anya snapped. Willow expected to see little cartoon hearts fly out of Anya's eyes. She still loved him so much. "C'mon Skip," Anya said putting on her _'you have to do this because I'm to cute to resist_' smile.

"Fine," Skip caved.

* * *

Xander stood behind the counter of the Hardware store wearing a musty green apron with _LOU'S_ poorly written in red stitching across the left breast. He whistled along with the tune that was coming from the radio as he fiddled frustrated-like with the itchy strap of his eye-patch. The store had been dead all morning, which wasn't unusual, and Xander had been left alone once again.  
He suddenly felt a weird tugging sensation writhe through his body. He looked confused at his crotch but then shook his head; laughing at the sentiment.

Suddenly the store began spinning and spinning to the point were he felt he could vomit at anytime. When the room slowed down he found that the sight of dust ridden shelves of rusty tools were no longer in front of him.

"Xander!" Willow shouted.

"Somebody mind explaining to me why my dead girlfriend and my best friend are standing in a supposedly burnt and rebuilt library?" Xander said baffled.

"Hi, Xander," Anya beamed.

"An…it's…how's…what the hell's going on!" he shouted.

"Hey bro, if you just go with it without asking for all the major details you should do just fine," Skip advised.

"Say's the huge demon who makes that huge hammer look like a toothpick…wait, am I high?" Xander asked.

"You're not high," Warren added.

"**What the hell is he doing here**?" Xander spat.

"Easy sparky," Warren said backing away again.

"For heavens sake Harris! Just go with it okay? It's important," Anya told him.

Hearing Anya's voice, being reminded of what she looked like, gave Alexander Harris a feeling he hadn't had since the night he proposed to her in the magic shop basement. The feeling of love and hope.

"We need you to answer some questions," Willow said.

"About what?" he asked.

"Well…me," Willow replied.

"Can y'do that?" Skip asked.

"I guess," Xander said confused.

"Prosecutor, your opening statement," Skip said.

"First off," Warren began, "I think this courtroom is justfully unfair because the witness has relations to both members of the defence-"

"Objection!" Willow exclaimed, "Xander and I have never…well there was that one time in High School...but we were just teenagers and-"

"Overruled," Skip replied. "Prosecutor please continue."

"Thank you your honour," Warren turned to Xander who had a face of thunder and a readily curled fist. "Mr Harris, the defence is a personal friend of yours, correct?"

"Best friend actually," Xander corrected with no expression.

"Ah, best friend, I see…so can you explain to me why your best friend hurled a powerful fireball at you with all intent of killing you on the date of May 21st 2002?" Warren asked.

"Well actually she didn't hurl it at me specifically she hurled it at Jonathon and Andrew," Xander corrected.

"Who were accompanied by you, correct?" Warren added.

"Well yeah," Xander said.

"So you're saying that the defence had no care for your life at this time and was willing to let her attack kill her 'best friend'," Warren asked.

"No, of course not! Well maybe…I-"

"Also, if the Slayer hadn't arrived and saved the day, the attack would have killed one Dawn Summers too…the murder of a dear friend and a minor without a second thought, all under the influence of magic?" Warren twisted. Xander's eyes grew wide in panic at the way Warren was twisting his words.

"No!" Was all Xander could think to say.

"The Prosecution has no further questioning. I feel I have made a strong and fair case on why this witch should, at the very least, never be able to practice magic again," Warren said quickly taking back his former seat around the, now empty since Xander's arrival, centre table.

"The Court will hear the defences final questions and statement," Skip said without lifting his head from his papers. Willow looked to Xander who silently mouthed the word _sorry_. Willow shook her head at this to reassure him and she then gave Anya a positive nod. Anya nervously stepped forward.

"Um, Harris- **Mr **Harris, to uh, echo what the prosecution has said, on May 21st 2002, my client attempted to destroy the world and kill everybody on it…correct?" Anya asked skittishly. Xander looked to Willow and gave her a _where is she going with this_ look.

"That's right," Xander replied.

"Can you tell us about the events leading up to this critical point in my clients life?" Anya asked.

"Well uh, for that past year Warren, Jonathon and Andrew had made it their mission in life to make Buffy their bitch," Warren smiled a devilish grin at this "but in the sidebar, Willow's life was kinda spinning out of control. She was bringing people back from the dead and messing with strong and dark forces that wanted to hurt her," Willow shot Xander that same _where are you going with this _look, "and that was the reason for Willow and Tara's break up. After that Willow realised that her magic was becoming something she was losing her grip on and after an awful car accident, she stopped completely. She refused to use magic even at the most dangerous of times even when it seemed like it was the only option left. For this, Willow Rosenberg will always be one of the strongest people I've ever known." Willow felt the sting of tears behind her eyes. "Time went on and Tara forgave Willow and they made up. Seeing Willow that morning, seeing her that happy seemed to bring life into our very very very dark dark world. I was in the back yard with Buffy at the time and after another failed attempt to kill the Slayer by the nerd squad, Warren aimed a gun at Buffy and pulled the trigger. As she fell to the ground he scampered off out the back gate and another shot was fired through Willow's bedroom window. The bullet shot Tara in the heart and she died in her arms. The shock of the loss and all that pent up power sent Willow over the edge and on the lookout for revenge. Once she'd killed Warren she moved onto Andrew and Jonathon. Before she could get to em' though, Giles showed up and tried to help Willow. The magic in her wouldn't let the good in her listen to or accept his help and so Willow took his power from him so she could get the boost to kill Andrew and Jonathon. But the power Giles had was the true essence of good magic and through that Willow felt the pain of the people all over the world. She felt them suffer and hurt and cry and grieve. She went to King Mans Bluf and…please don't make me tell the yellow crayon story again?" Xander finished.

"That was beautiful," Skip cried, tears down his silver cheeks.

"Oh c'mon!" Warren shouted but then he shut up after a glare from Skip.

"You're honour, even when Willow was so chock full of dark power, she abandoned her thirst for revenge to save the people of the world from the pain. Ending the world wasn't a terrific notion, but you see my point," Anya then pointed to Willow, "this women was born to have power and to use that power to help people. If the powers were to strip that ability from her…**then evil wins**."

Tears fell from Willow's cheeks as she looked to her friends with love and gratitude. Skip shed more tears also.

"T-the court has heard e-everything that it is prepared to hear. My decision is that the witch be aloud to continue her practice of magic and that she be freed from the magical temptation of evil by the Powers that Be," Skip announced. Willow heard the gavel hit the desk and…have you ever had a really cold glass of water on a really warm day and you feel it spread right through your body…well Willow felt like that. The evil was gone from inside her. **She was free, finally.**

* * *

Faith and Buffy continued down the morning sun lit alley. All the while Buffy and Faith's heads was spinning with idea's on what is could be that the vamps were trying to protect. Naturally, the Slayer in them took over and they were both hoping it to be some bitchin' weapon. Although Buffy wished it would be one that didn't make Faith go all Purple-nova like she did with the sword. They arrived at a barbed wire fence and watched as the male vampire the had followed disappeared through two rusted double doors of an abandoned building. "What is this place?" Faith asked. Buffy looked around and found a sign on one of the walls.

"The Cleveland Evening News Arena," Buffy said pointing to the sign.

"An abandoned arena. Why can't vamps live someplace that doesn't sound like something out of a _Stephen King _book," Faith said. The two slayers scaled the fence and quietly looked through a fogged up stained glass window.

Inside they saw the Mysterious man in the suit sitting on the old stage of the arena on an obviously stolen expensive couch. The arena was swarming with vampires who didn't look to bothered about the streaking sunlight that shone onto the floor. The one they had followed walked over to a woman Buffy recognised as Amy and seemed to be giving her some sort of information. Amy grabbed a shard of wood from the floor and rammed it through the vampires' heart. I guess she didn't like what she was told. Faith made a move for the handle of the door. "What're you doing?" Buffy asked.

"I'm going in there," Faith said plainly.

"Faith, it's suicide, look at all those vampires in there plus a pretty powerful witch…remember the first rule of slaying? Don't die," Buffy warned.

"But B we can't just go back and report to Giles, the only time we've ever seen the dude in the flashy suit is when he wants to be found, we might never get another chance like this," Faith added. Buffy sighed and looked back through the window. The man in the suit had pulled out a golden jewelled cross that Buffy recognised but she didn't know from where.

Buffy began, "We should at least come up with some sort of-" She was interrupted by the sensation of her phone vibrating in her pocket. She read the caller ID. _**Willow's Cell**_. Faith and Buffy both looked at each other confused.

"Willow, you're back, are you okay?" Buffy spoke quickly.

"Buffy you need to get back to the manor," Willow said.

"Will, what is it?" Buffy asked panicky. Buffy had said she wasn't going to let anything distract her from finding and killing Ana-Lucia's killers…but she hadn't counted on Willow getting back.

"Angel needs our help…Fred's in trouble," Willow sounded.

* * *

_**7 Minutes Earlier**_  
Willow watched the courtroom, Skip, Xander, Warren and Anya all fade from her vision. She felt a weird tugging sensation followed by a lot of spinning and dizziness. When the dizziness stopped she found herself standing where she least expected to be. She thought she'd find herself standing face forward into Chief Nuwengu's large belly in Central America. Instead she was standing with Xander and a large silver mean looking demon in her home in Cleveland Ohio. The Manor had never felt like home to Willow until that moment. "Congratulations girl, you won," Skip beamed as he took Willow and Xander into an inappropriate hug.

"But I'm back in the manor, what about Riley?" Willow asked when Skip allowed her to breathe.

"And Anya," Xander cried.

"Nuwengu and I are old friends, as soon as he put you into that tent I told him to send the boy home…as for Anya, she was only able to see you while you where on trial, I'm sorry big guy," Skip said genuinely.

"Tell her thanks for us?" Willow asked.

"Sure Kiddo," Skip said before starting to fade away.

"About the bullet wound in the side of your head?" Willow said loudly. "If I didn't ask it would have bugged me all day."

"You got your friend Angel and his pals to thank for that," Skip scoffed before fully disappearing from the manor.

"I'm glad your home," Xander said.

"Me too," Willow smiled as her and her best friend embraced in a loving hug.

"I don't know about you but dimensional travel sure leaves ya' hungry, you want?" Xander asked as he backed slowly towards the old closed door that lead to the kitchen.

"I want, i more than want," Willow smiled. Xander disappeared through the corridor leaving Willow alone in the entrance hall. She walked over to sit on the couch and finally relax and pat herself on the back after surviving two weeks in a Central American jungle, when for the second time since she had lived in the manor, the door bell rang. She exhaled heavily before getting back up to open the door.

The morning sunlight hit Willow square in the face before the shock of the person she was seeing in front of her. His bleach blonde hair reflected the light onto his black leather duster. "Spike," Willow said shocked.

"We need your help, it's Fred," Spike hummed.

* * *

Author's Note: See! I made my deadline. I'm going to try to stick to this deadline from now on. Thank you to my reviewers, it means a lot and thank you to those who subscribed to Story Alert.  
The next Episode ties in with Angel season 5.  
Episode 16 of my Season 8 of Buffy the Vampire Slayer will be called...Illyria.

Hopefully see you guys next Sunday. Please review.


	17. Episode 16: Chapter 1

Buffy the Vampire Slayer  
Season 8 Episode 16  
Illyria  
Chapter 1

Summary: Buffy and Willow travel to L.A with Spike to stop Illyria, an Old One, who has taken over Fred's body with the help of Knox, Fred's assistant, a Wolfram & Hart doctor and surprisingly, Gunn. Willow comes face to face with Kennedy in LA and Giles and Buffy finally confront the issue of Spike's resurrection after Sunnydale.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything to do with Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel or the Buffy/Whedonverse, I am just a fan.

* * *

**Previously on Angel.**  
Fred stared down at the focal point of a large thick stone primitive sarcophagus. The lid it was sealed with was decorated with ancient gems that reflected and bended the light around the lab of Wolfram & Hart. Near the top of the sarcophagus was a dark stone seal with spiralling lines leading to the rim. Fred looked at this curiously and tilted her head, her smooth brown hair becoming longer on one shoulder. She hovered her hand over the dark seal when it suddenly opened and released an infectious gas that seemed to seep through every orifice and pour of Fred's body. Her lungs felt like they were bleeding and her stomach was boiling.

* * *

"She's being hollowed out so that this can crawl its way back into the world," Wesley told as Fred lay almost comatose in the Wolfram & Heart medical facility.

* * *

"It's called _Illyria,_a great monarch of the demon age."

* * *

Fred lay shaking in Wesley's arms. Her skins was so lifeless it seemed almost grey, her eyes were hollow and cold and terrified, Wesley felt the pain she was feeling writhe through his beloved as she convulsed in his arms. "Wesley, please, why can't I stay?" Fred pleaded as she cried her last tear before her eyes were frozen over and turned icy blue. With great strength, Fred shook from Wesley's arms to the floor. Wesley was thrown across the room but he lifted his head in time to see that the Fred that disappeared behind the king sized bed was not the Fred that got back up.  
Her eyes were empty and cold, her hair blue at the front and her skins stained with the same icy colour. She lifted her hand curiously to her face before saying, "**this will do**."

* * *

"Who is Winifred Burkle?" Wesley demanded of the blue monster that wore his lovers skin.

"Winifred Burkle is the shell I'm in," Illyria replied, once again curiously evaluating her human form.

* * *

Wesley, Gunn, Harmony, Knox, Angel and Spike stood in Angel's office. Spike and Angel had just returned unsuccessful from the deeper well after making the decision to allow Illyria to take Fred's body to save the thousands of people that would have been killed if they had saved her. "Wes, keep your footing," Angel was saying, "I need you sharp. For Fred's sake."

"There is no Fred anymore," Wesley replied painfully.

"You don't know that!" Gunn snapped.

"I watched it **gut** her from the inside out. Everything she was is gone, there is nothing left…but a shell," Wesley snapped back.

"Then we'll figure out a way to fill it back up!" Angel added.

"The thing only took over her body, it's the tip of the theological," Spike said.

"It's the soul that matters," Angel hummed.

"Trust us, we're kind of experts," Spike added.

"What about if her organs have been liqufied?" Gunn asked.

"Flash fried in a pillar of hell saving the world and I got better," Spike replied.

"You really believe there's a chance of bringing her back?" Wesley asked.

"Fred's soul is out there, we'll find it and we'll put it back were it belongs. Then we'll make every son of a bitch who had a hand in this pay. We all on the same page?" Angel asked rhetorically.

"Were do we start?" Gunn asked.

"We need the big guns," Angel sounded.

"Willow," Wesley acknowledged.

"Last I head she was in South America," Spike added.

"Then we'll track her down and get her here as soon as we can but in the meantime we need to contain Illyria," Angel said. "Wes, you're the only one who's had contact with this thing, any idea where it's headed?" Before Wesley could open his mouth to speak, a tinted blue skinned fist came crashing through the glass of Angel's Office and grabbed Knox by the thread of his lab coat and pulled him through to the lobby.

"Hey!" Harmony exclaimed, "get back here you little…" Even though Harmony didn't breath if felt like the sight of Illyria in Fred's body took the oxygen from her lungs. Illyria stared back at Harmony with her cold blue eyes tearing holes in her skin. "Fred?" Harmony asked. Illyria raised her fist and collided it with Harmony's face. The blonde vampire was sent hurtling across the lobby 10 ft in the air before crashing onto the wooden flooring and falling unconscious.

"I knew you would come for me," Knox said in awe and wonder, "I worship you!"

"Yes," Illyria grinned, "worship."

* * *

**4 Hours Ago. Los Angeles branch of Wolfram & Hart. California.**  
Angel, Spike, Wesley and Gunn ran to the lobby only to see scared lawyers and an unconscious Harmony curled into a ball at the end of the lobby. Gunn ran to her side while Wesley, Angel and Spike stood in frustration. "Get security!" Angel called to a frightened female lawyer, "Knox and that thing don't leave the building," he ordered.

"Angel," Spike began, "we don't have the man power to take that thing down or even capture it. Hate to say it but we can't wait for red to come to us," Spike said.

"Spike's right," Gunn said as he and Harmony rejoined the group. She was already bruising.

"I'll take the fastest jet to Ohio right now and hopefully by the time I get back Illyria won't have her mojo up and running just yet," Angel said.

"Angel," Wesley called after the vampire as he headed to the top floor of the lobby where the helicopter would take him to the runway.

"What?" Angel asked.

"By the time you get to Cleveland it'll be almost noon, we need to save Fred as soon as possible and I am not waiting for the sun to go down over there," Wesley spat.

"Wes is right, I should go. Sunlight being my friend and all lately I should be able to get red and the slayer back here before Illyria does any more serious damage," Spike said.

"We don't need to bring Buffy into this," Angel said, feeling the sting of anger and jealousy because the person he loathed was able to walk in the sun.

"I'm sorry?" Spike asked confused.

"Spike's right, it wouldn't hurt to have a Slayer on the defence," Wesley said.

Angel began, "we got a slayer on the defence Wes, Kennedy can pick up the slack, she should be down in the training rooms. Gunn could you-"

"I don't think you're quite hearing me Angel," Wesley said in a warning tone as he stood in front of the vampire that could kill him in half the time it would take for his brain to recognise the damage, "an ancient demon is walking round in Fred's skin and has hollowed her out in the process…this is no time for your petty school boy love drama. So get on that CEO phone of yours and call the airport," Wesley said as he severed the angsty eye-contact he was keeping with Angel, "Spike, you've got a plane to catch."

* * *

**Present Day**  
Buffy and Faith stepped back into the manor and shut the door behind them leaving the noon sunlight shimmering through the huge glass windows of the entrance hall. Willow, Xander and Spike got up from their seats on the couch and turned to the slayers. Buffy's gaze lingered over Willow, she was glad to see her after so long, but then her bleach blonde hero stole her vision. The worry in the room was so thick it seemed to could be cut with a knife. "Well I'd heard you were back but I couldn't bring myself to believe," Faith opened, trying to cut the tension.

"That right," Spike smiled. "Hello Buffy," Spike said.

"Spike," Buffy replied as she leaned the scythe against the phone table and folded her arms. "You look good," she said, "you have hands."

"Oh, right, yeah," Spike said.

"Hands?" Xander asked.

"Long story," Buffy and Spike said simultaneously.

"S-spikes been filling Will and I in on the happenings with our good pals at Wolfram & Hart," Xander said.

"Let's just cut to the chase, I'm not doing this for you or Angel or your big evil law firm," Buffy said as she stepped closer to the vampire, "I think I made my thoughts on you choice of employment pretty clear last time I was there. I'm doing this for Fred."

"Understood," Spike replied, he didn't know what else to say other than that.

"So what do we know?" Buffy asked.

"C'mon Mr. Giles!" said Vi's voice from up onto the first floor landing. The mention of Giles name and the presence of Spike in the manor made Buffy feel like she was going to vomit a vital organ. "If you could just persuade the council to give us a little more money we could expand the training room in the basement to the backyard so that we'd have a proper place to store the weapons," Vi continued to say.

"Vi, just 5 minutes ago Andrew asked me if we could expand the kitchen so he would have more space to hang his aprons, he even had a detailed diagram, and I'm going to tell you the same thing I told him which put simply…was no," Giles replied as he came into view and started descending the stairs.

"But my reason has more practicality and- oh my god" Vi said, stopping still at the top of the stairs. Giles stopped to look at her and then followed her line of vision to the bleach blonde vampire in the black leather duster sitting in his preferred seat of the couch.

"**Spikes alive! Oh my God that is brand new information!**" Xander shouted unconvincingly. Giles diverted his eyes to the bottom of the stairs and continued down them. Vi dodged the awkward situation by heading for the basement.

Buffy began, "Giles…I-"

"Hello Spike," Giles said as he cleaned his glasses and kept a steady pace toward the kitchen, shutting the old closed door behind him.

"I'm guessing he doesn't know that the whole death thing didn't take," Spike acknowledged.

"Apparently not," Faith said.

"I should go talk to him," Buffy said, unfolding her arms and walking after him.

"**No**," Willow said sternly. "What we need to be doing is getting to LA as soon as possible, this isn't the time for drama Buffy, it's the time for action," Willow said, looking Buffy in the eye with a disapproving glare.

* * *

"It's called Illyria. About two days ago some huge sarcophagus came to Fred's lab and dosed her with the essence of a king demon. The things essence liquefied Fred's organs and emptied her out so that it could get back into the world. The boy wonder and I went t to England to a place called the deeper well," Spike said as he, Willow, Buffy, Xander and Faith sat on the entrance hall sofas.

"I've read about that, it's like a burial ground for the old ones, a race of pure demons that lived on the earth millions of years ago," Willow said.

"More like a gaping hole in the world, literally," Spike clarified.

"But there was no way of getting Illyria out of Fred and back into this _Deeper Well_?" Buffy asked.

"Only if thousands of people died in her place," Spike said. "When Angel and I got back to Wolfram & Hart, Illyria was just getting her mojo up and running…and Fred was…just a shell," Spike said painfully.

"So this demon, old one, hatched out of Fred and is roaming round L.A? Guessing a 200ft pure demon going Godzilla would have made the news by now," Faith said.

"It didn't hatch out of her, it hatched into her, it's controlling her body and the way Wes talks it up, she's not waiting round for the human race to get to a ripe old age," Spike warned.

"So it's walking around looking like her?" Willow asked horrified.

"Sort of, from the quick glance i got from her snabbing lab boy back in Angel's office she's still...she's different...blue...but it still looks like...like Fred," Spike said painfully.

"So we should gear up," Faith said.

"You're not coming," Buffy replied.

"Excuse me?" Faith asked.

"Faith, I need you here, I need you to protect the girls from all those vamps we saw in the arena, from Amy and that guy, I need you to be my general while I'm gone…please," Buffy pleaded. Faith nodded.

"Let me guess, I'm not going either," Xander said.

"It's to dangerous Xand, I need you to stay here and hold down the fort, if this get's past LA, it's up to you and Faith to run the second front," Buffy replied.

"Count on us," he said.

"How long till we can be in LA?" Buffy asked turning to Spike.

"4 hours tops, but that combined with the time it took to get here, Wolfram & Hart and most of LA could have been turned to rubble by now," Spike said.

"Then we don't take a plane," Willow announced, "If you guys'll give me a few minutes I should be able to conjure a small Zathrians Arrow."

"Which means?" Buffy asked.

"A one way gateway that should take us to the desired target," Willow replied.

"That sounds like mega-mojo Will, you sure you can handle it?" Buffy asked.

"Positive," Willow sounded.

"Once we get there though, Willow's spell should take us right to Illyria," Buffy acknowledged.

"Wes and CEO boy seem to be pretty sure that Fred's soul is out there somewhere and that if we can get her soul back in her body it'll fix things," Spike told.

"Think you can work that?" Buffy asked.

"Can you say long shot?" Willow asked rhetorically.

"This isn't the time for negative thoughts, Red," Spike said.

"Just let me work on the spell, Spike get supplies, we're going to step out of this portal right in front of Illyria, we want to be ready and Buffy, you should go find Giles, maybe he knows more about this demon than Wesley or any of us," Willow said as she headed up the stairs to her magical supply cupboard that she hadn't used in months.

"Looks like the jungle did Red some good," Faith said, "I'm going to go and get started on that whole second front thing."

"Faith," Buffy stopped her, "promise me that you won't go back to that arena until I get back, keep a watch and a safe distance, but please don't do anything reckless."

"Hey, I'm reck-free…well for the most part any way," Faith grinned.

* * *

While Buffy waited for Willow to get her spell up and running, she grabbed her jacket and threw it back over her shoulders and grabbed the Scythe in her right hand. She breathed in a cool breath and headed toward the old closed door to where she would find Giles in the kitchen. She worried about what she would say to him and what he would say to her. She'd kept this secret from him for most of the year and the thought of the betrayal he must've been feeling ate her up inside.  
She curled her small yet strong fist around the kitchen doorknob, twisted and pushed.  
Giles was leaning with his back to Buffy and a bottle of open scotch was on the kitchen counter. He heard the door open and close. "I don't even know were to begin to say sorry," Buffy said.

"Well the truth is you're not sorry so how about we skip the part were you lie to me and get right to the you asking me for information part," Giles replied coldly.

"I was going to tell you," Buffy announced.

"Actually I've known for some time now," he replied.

"Why didn't you say something?" she asked.

"What was I supposed to say, you'd kept this from me for months and it's not a common topic of conversation," he said; his back still to her.

"Who told you?" she asked.

"Does it matter?"

"Is this way you've been off with me for weeks?" Buffy asked. Buffy remembered going into Giles office to tell him about Ana-Lucia's death and seeing all those weird books and texts on the myths of the vampires and resurrection. "It is isn't it? Look I understand that I should have told you but what was I supposed to say?...I thought you were better off not knowing. He wasn't coming back, he wasn't going to be a part of our lives anymore."

"And that's supposed to make it okay?" he asked as he whirled around and stared her down with such distain. Buffy opened her mouth to speak but couldn't find the ability to string words into a sentence.

"**Buff!**" Willow called from the entrance hall. Buffy gripped the Scythe a little tighter. "Destiny calls," she struggled to say.

"Buffy," Giles stopped her, "I know you think you've fought demons before, but what you're going up against is pure demon, purer and more evil than the Mayor after ascension, Illyria was a great monarch of the demon age and one of the last of her kind to enter into the deeper well. She won't be best pleased to see that mankind now rules the earth. Please…be careful."

Buffy nodded her head.

"Have to go Slayer," Spike said as he peered his head around the kitchen door.

* * *

Author's Note: thank you for all your reviews and subscriptions to alerts.  
See, I met my deadline, awesome!  
Hope you enjoyed the above.  
So bad news, the family holiday is to begin on Friday :(  
I'll try to write and upload my second chapter of this cross over episode by about Thursday night at the latest before I go to the midnight showing of Harry Potter!  
But yeah, sorry guys there won't be an upload after Thursday for two weeks.  
Please bear with me; as soon as I'm home I'll be straight onto Microsoft word to start to write the third chapter.  
I'll see you guys Thursday.  
Please review and thank you for reading.


	18. Episode 16: Chapter 2

Buffy the Vampire Slayer  
Season 8 Episode 16  
Illyria  
Chapter 2

Buffy left Giles in the kitchen and followed Spike down the old closed door corridor toward the entrance hall. Giles was the man that even from mid adolescence she regarded as the father she wished she'd had. Although she loved Hank Summers, he was never a constant in her life wereas Giles was stable and reliable and there for her for the last 8 years. She knew Dawn felt the same way too. But to see him so disappointed in her made her feel like she'd been pushed into a vat of arctic water. She had major grovelling to do when she got back to the manor…if she got back. She was going up against something that from the way people were talking it up could take on the First. And what was worse, it was walking around looking like Fred, her friend. Illyria.  
Buffy emerged into the entrance hall to find Willow with an open worn leather book in one hand and a jar of a golden dust in the other. She chanted in Latin, prayed to a higher goddess in English before handing Buffy and Spike a handful of the dust which tingled in Buffy's hands and Willow took some herself. "We deem ourselves worthy entities to be transported by Zathrian, God of speed and travel, we implore you, hear us," Willow chanted. After four tries Willow got it right. A lighting orange fluxuating portal erected before them shooting sparks of light through the entrance hall of the manor. "Follow my lead," Willow said with a shaky look at Buffy and Spike. Willow grabbed her shoulder bag of supplies and released her handful of golden powder into the portal. "Witch," Willow echoed. The portals random shots of orange sparks became an organised troop of bolts that engulfed Willow who seemed to have a worried yet satisfied look on her face. In seconds the red-headed witch vanished from the manor and was sucked into the portal.

"See you on the other side, love," Spike said as he tossed his portion of dust into the portal and spoke "champion." As quickly as Willow was taken, he was too. Buffy grabbed her Scythe and the supply bag Xander must've gotten ready for her and stood in the place where the other two had vanished. She tossed the powder into the vortex and said, "_**Slayer**_."

**4**** minute s****ago.****Los****Angeles, ****California, ****Wolfram****&****Hart.**  
Illyria stood tall, naked and proudly over her once tomb with Knox in the lab. The atmosphere seemed to thicken in the room and the oxygen in Knox's lungs vibrated around his body. In awe of Illyria and Fred's naked body, Knox watched as Illyria performed some unknown ritual before him. Illyria opened her icy blue eyes and tore holes in Knox's skin with her gaze. "Is that it?" Knox asked when nothing happened. Illyria's hovering hand suddenly dropped onto the sarcophagus. Like a web of veins increasing and expanding over her skin, an ancient, strong and leather jumpsuit spread from the tips of the demons fingers, up her arm, around her neck, down her torso and ended at her foot. Knox watched in awe of his king. "Yeah," Knox said excitedly. Illyria's head bowed as she lifted her hand from her tomb and set it by her side.

"I'm ready to begin," she announced.

"Or we could just hang out," Angel taunted as he, Wesley and Gunn entered the lab.

"A warrior," Illyria announced almost approvingly at the sight of Angel, although he didn't return the gesture. The sight of Fred's body twisted and manipulated so that this thing standing in front of him could reclaim its world made him feel emotions he hadn't felt before. Emotions of immense anger and despair. He thought of the girl who saved him one day in Plyea, the smart girl from Texas that he rescued from the cave. _'__Handsome__man__saved__me__from__the__monsters__…'_  
"I was beginning to think that this world was void of your kind," Illyria said as she surveyed her challengers. Suddenly a dozen men in heavy special ops gear with guns larger than any Knox had seen in Wolfram & Hart entered the lab, their sights aimed at his king. "One half-breed and a band of primitives," Illyria uttered with a growing crooked grin, "is this all that challenges me now?"

"That…and a whole lot of bullets," Angel retorted.

"Don't forget us now, love," Spike called from the upper level of the lab outside Fred's office. He, Willow and Buffy emerged from the portal and it vanished cleanly.

Buffy's breath seemed to catch in her throat at the sight of the demon king wearing her friend's skin. She chanced a glance at Willow who looked like she could cry. "Fred?" Willow stammered, almost losing grip on her bag. Illyria whirled around to set eyes on the new group of opposition.

"This is your defence?" Illyria asked turning back to Angel, "another half-breed, a sorceress and a vampire slayer."

"Make that two," Kennedy announced as she entered the lab, avoiding Willow's confused stare.

"We've seen the rest of your kind Illyria," Angel said as he advanced toward her, he towered over her in height but she just glared at him curiously, her head tilted to one side, "all the old ones, sealed away forever, like you were; were you should have stayed. You've taken something of ours, something _very_precious. Stand down and I promise we won't destroy you taking it back…you're choice."

Illyria grinned.

"I decline," her hand shot like a bolt of leather lighting toward Angel's chest. She gripped him by the thread of his shirt and without even preparing herself for the attack, she tossed him, with ease, through the glass of Freds' office window and through the glass of the exterior building to wear Angel free-fell almost 250 ft toward the pavement.

"**TAKE****HER!**" Gunn exclaimed. The special ops guys clicked the safety off their almost otherworldly guns and aimed for Illyria, who still stood facing the window Angel had just been sent hurtling through, Willow's eyes were doused with inky blackness as she prepared to attack to, Spike readied his vamp face and made to dive off the upper level toward her, Gun lifted a mace he had gripped strongly in his right hand, Kennedy shot into the air, her foot pointed directly to the back of the blue king demons head and Wesley reached for the two silver 12mm hand guns he had in the inside pockets of his brown jacket.  
Buffy barely had time to properly grip the Scythe before she watched Illyria, her face showing no intimidation or worry, turn around, grab Knox, and raise her left hand toward her attackers. It was one of those moments were if you blinked, you missed it. Like a black blue and brown haze, Illyria was there one second and gone the next.  
Gunn raised his mace to swing at her, but all the ball-end of his weapon met was the thick air left in Illyria's wake. Bullets collided with the machinery behind where Illyria stood and Spike, after diving from the upper level, landed firmly but confused on the ground.  
Willow's eyes returned to their original state and fixated on the girl with brown hair below her, Kennedy.  
_

Angel hit the ground of the Wolfram & Hart outer lobby with a gut wrenching crash. Smashed glass fell with equal force around and on top of the vampire as blood poured from Angel's nose and mouth. Ignoring the pain as best he could, Angel pushed himself onto all fours, pulling glass from his arm and jacket and then steadily to his feet. He limped back towards the lobby, a weight in his chest that told him he'd failed.

"Sorry Boss, maybe if I'd stopped her back in your office I could've-" started Harmony and she and Angel, both sporting bruises shockingly visible on two vampires, emerged back into the main lobby.

"Did she toss you out a window?" Angel asked interrupting her.

"No?" Harmony replied, a furrowed brow.

"Then you're one up on me," he replied, arms folded. The familiar scent of another girl he'd lost made Angels eyes gaze toward the stairs Buffy, Spike and Wesley were descending. He fiercely repressed the urge to beam a smile of happiness at the sight of Buffy, this wasn't the time for smiling and happiness. "What d'you got?" he asked.

"Smoke and mirrors," Spike replied exasperated.

"No sign of them, Knox or Illyria," Wesley said in the same tone.

Gunn entered the wounded fray and began, "I've put tactical on code black, if Illyria shows up again-"

"She won't she got what she came for," Angel cut him off.

"Which was what exactly?" Buffy piped up, her small fist gripped firmly around the Scythe.

"Knox?" Harmony asked; her furrowed brow still apparent.

"And some spiffy new threads," Spike added.

"How did she get passed you?" Angel asked.

"Shortly after your trip out the window it was like she was there one second and then gone," Buffy interjected.

"She's a teleporter?" Angel theorised.

"I fancy I saw blur…just before she pulled a Houdini," Spike said, his wit not placed in the best of circumstances.

"Makes sense, super demon equals super fast right?" Buffy added again.

"Or we were super slow," Wesley spoke, his eyes squinted.

"Great, she's super strong and she can alter time," Angel said as he released a breath he wasn't aware he was holding.

"Well that's not fair," Harmony whined with a subtle moving of her hands from her sides to her hips, he then regretted the decision after putting pressure on her bruises.

"Doesn't change what we have to do, it just makes it more difficult," Angel said coldly.

"_What__we__have__to__do?_" Buffy sceptisised, "I thought this wasn't a search and destroy."

Angel began, "It's not…but if worse comes to worse we have to consider that-"

"We'll find another way," Wesley said firmly, putting his point across so that everybody understood.

"Wes take Harmony and go through Knox's files back at the lab, his records anybody he's been in contact with," Angel ordered.

"C'mon," Harmony said grabbing Wesley by the hand, "I got a degree in tearing things up."

"I got a few contacts I could try, see if anything shakes loose," Gunn offered.

"Good," Angel replied as he, Spike and Buffy walked towards his office. Angel opened both doors and he and Spike entered the room. Buffy had thought of Angel's office as his own corporate bat cave the last time she was there. It was also one of the places in the world she hated to be in. The reason being because the Angel at Wolfram & Hart and the Angel she loved were two different people. Buffy leaned her back against the door while Spike and angel moved toward the desk. Angel selected a dagger from the back wall.

"Any idea on how we're going to stop Fred? Or Illyria or…whatever the hell that thing was?" Spike asked.

"We just do it. That's all," Angel said over his shoulder.

"Back in the lab…she was right there in front of me…but there was no scent…nothing. Like she wasn't even there," Spike struggled to say. Angel's face turned to stone, his body tensed.

"I know," Angel sounded.

The atmosphere in the room thickened as the same thought crossed everybody's mind. Maybe Fred was actually just…gone.

"I'll uh…go help Gunn with that whole contact thing," Spike announced as he turned to leave the office. Buffy picked herself up from the door and moved forward, watching Spike go. He turned to her and said "it's good that you're here." She smiled as he closed the door.

Angel placed the dagger on the desk along with his hands; he bent his head low and released a breath. Buffy leant the Scythe against the wall and crossed her arms. She looked at him and thought of a million and one things to say, most of them verging on being _I__told__you__so_. However, in her eight years of knowing the man in front of her…she'd never seen him so defeated.

"You can get through this," she said soothingly.

"We both know that that's not what you want to say to me right now," Angel said without lifting his head up to meet her gaze.

"That's true," Buffy said like a shot from her tongue.

"Buffy you've never been one to hold your tongue so why should now be any different?" Angel asked lifting his head.

"What do you want me to say? **I ****told ****you ****so**? **How ****could**** you ****be ****so ****stupid**? **How**** could ****you ****let ****this ****happen**?" Buffy spouted.

"If that's what's on your mind why not?" Angel replied coldly.

"Because it won't help!" Buffy said loudly. "I'm not here to fix whatever problem there is between us, I'm here to help Fred."

"So am I!" Angel shouted back.

"Good!" Buffy retaliated.

"Good!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

As the silence set into the office, the star-crossed lovers looked into each others eyes and smiled.  
_

Wesley and Harmony made their way back to the lab. Wesley couldn't stop replaying what happened in the lab minutes before over and over in his head. He would never admit it but he didn't have to be a vampire to sense that Fred wasn't their in the lab, only the shell. They pushed open the doors and were met by the labs nauseatingly white gleam and a red haired witch. Willow was pacing around the stone sarcophagus, careful not to touch the stone but she hovered her hand close enough to see if she could feel any magic. She stopped abruptly as she heard the doors open and turned to meet the gaze of Harmony and Wes. Willow mustered a warm smile as she and Wesley walked toward each other and embraced warmly. "Thank you for coming as fast as you did," Wesley sounded.

"I'm going to do everything I can," Willow promised into his ear. Wesley smiled at this. They released each other and Harmony seized the chance to attack Willow with a, some-what more awkward than warm, hug. Wesley cracked a sincere smile at this.

"**I****'****m**** so**** happy ****you**** got ****your**** memory ****back!**" Harmony exclaimed.

"Thanks Harmony…" Willow replied. Harmony pulled away and looked at the her.

"I mean the whole _Amnesia_stint is so _Days__of__Our__Lives_," Harmony jibed. Willow didn't quite no what to say to that. Wesley walked toward the sarcophagus and picked up where Willow left off pacing around it and Harmony headed over to the file cabinets to look for information on Knox. "I never trusted that little nerd!" Harmony began ranting as she through test tubes and measuring glasses to the floor, "The rumpled hair, the socks that didn't match, the cute lopsided grin! He was so totally playing it up! **I**** mean ****who ****did ****he**** think ****he ****was ****fooling**? Except all of us…" Harmony had used a crow bar to break into a cabinet and was rummaging through the shelves. She turned to her audience and found Wesley with his hands on the sarcophagus. "Shouldn't you be wearing one of those moon suits?" she asked.

"Actually I think it's done all the damage it's going to," Willow said. "I can't sense any harmful residual energy only some sparks on the magic-ometer from those crystals.

"She was curious," Wesley announced in a hummed voice, "that's why Fred didn't put it into containment immediately…how things work, what makes them special…she was always searching for what other people couldn't quite see, she was just curious. I think I hate her a little for that," Wesley thought aloud with a blank expression.

"Wes," Harmony said slowly.

"Harmony, hand me the pry bar," Wesley said holding out his hand.

"Harmony's right, the girl of your dreams loved you, that's more than most people ever get," Willow echoed with a smile.

"I know," Wesley said, his face stile etched in stone, "but it's not enough." Wes's face contorted with anger he took the crow bar from Harmony and unleashed a flurry of swings at the sarcophagus.

"Wes!" Harmony exclaimed but Wesley kept swinging. "Wes!" she shouted again. Willow came behind Harmony and gave her a look that read '_don__'__t__'_. Willow could empathise with Wesley's anger. When she lost Tara she wished someone had handed her a crowbar and she had the will to just attack a slab of stone, instead she attacked her friends and tried to destroy the world.  
When Wesley's anger had reached the hilt he released a long breath and dropped the crowbar to the floor.

"Appreciate the urge to smash but it's not helping," said Harmony.

"No, but this might," Wesley had knocked a crystal from the sarcophagus loose, it was smaller than some of the other, it smooth edgings and a pale colouring.

"I thought that was supposed to be unbreakable or something?" Harmony asked innocently.

"There's markings that refer to time, a cycle of integral events," Willow said as she translated markings that lay beneath where the crystal was.

"This gem is the focal point of the sarcophagus," Wesley announced.

"Could be useful in fighting Fre-**Illyryia**," Willow corrected herself quickly.

"If it isn't already drained," Wesley replied.

"Got me beat, all I found was a cell phone and a cheese sandwich," Harmony exhaled.

"Is it Knox's?" Wesley asked suddenly.

"It had it's name written on the bag with a little smiley face, big girl," Harmony scoffed.

"The cell phone, Harmony!" Wesley said snapped.

"I think so," Harmony handed Wesley the phone.

"Outgoing and incoming calls have all be deleted," Wesley said disappointed.

"Check his missed calls, he couldn't have deleted those, guessing he's been kinda occupied lately," Willow said. Three clicks of a button and Wesley's eyebrows raised.

"Three in the last hour, another 5 before that…all from the same person," Wesley said.

"Who?" Harmony asked.

"Doctor Sparrow," Wesley announced.

The attention of everybody in the lab was caught by the opening of the lab doors. Willows heart did leaps at the sight of the woman who entered. "Wes, Angel's gettin' pretty snappy and asked if you'd found anything yet," Kennedy announced, her gaze fixated on Willow throughout. Wesley gripped the gem tighter as he nodded to Kennedy and he and Harmony left the lab and headed out back into Wolfram & Hart. "I guess we should talk," Kennedy echoed as she and Willow were left alone in the lab.


	19. Episode 16: Chapter 3

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Season 8, Episode 16

Illyria

Chapter 3

"Always messy when ya' gotta' open em' up," thought Doctor Sparrow aloud as he washed a pair of torture room-esk scissors into a plastic container of water. The blood grew and spread and infected the once clear innocence of the small collection of water. The doctor was a fairly average looking man. Average height, maybe slightly over the normal weight, glasses, bald, somebody you wouldn't look twice at on the street unless you knew that person. It's scary the damage the average person can do. "I do prefer the less invasive procedures," he went on to say, "never really got used to the sight of blood."

"Then this is going to be an uncomfortable conversation," Gunn said upon his arrival to the doctors modernised evil-operating room. The doctors head rose and a sadistic smile spread across his face.

"I'm surprised at you Mr Gunn. With all that knowledge we put in your brain and it's took you this long to sniff your way back to me," he taunted.

"I've been a little preoccupied," Gunn spat.

"Ah yes," the doctors smiled widened, "Miss Burkle…how is she?" Gunn charged for Sparrow, his hands gripped tightly around the collar of his lab coat. Gunn forced the doctor into the operating chair.

"You're about to get real straight with me real fast!" Gunn raised his voice. "How do I bring Fred back?"

"You can't," the doctor struggled to say as Gunn's grip tightened.

"I don't believe that, you know a way you have to!" Gunn exclaimed.

"Get the sarcophagus released from customs on exchange for the knowledge in your head, that was the deal and the end of my involvement," Sparrow coughed.

"Then take it back, all the knowledge, I don't want it," Gunn's tone softened into a subtle plea, guilt overwhelming him. "Take more, leave me a vegetable, I don't care…just bring Fred back."

"There's nothing left to bring back," the doctor announced as Gunn's grip loosened and Sparrow was able to sit up. "Miss Burkle's soul was consumed by the fires of resurrection, everything she was is gone…forever." Gunn's hands had completely let go of the doctor and had fallen lifelessly to his sides. His eyes were wide and fixated on the doctor as his brain took in what he had said. Fred was gone, and it was his fault. "For better or worse you made a deal Mr Gunn," the doctor said as he readjusted himself. He put his glasses back on straight in time to see Gunn turn his back to him. He pulled his lab coat back onto his shoulders and turned to the door saying "I suggest you learn to live-" Sparrows face collided with the business end of a large and expensive double barrel shot gun. Sparrow fell to the floor and the sound triggered Gunn to turn back around. His eyes met Wesley's hellish expression.

"Is there something you'd like to tell me Charles?" Wesley asked calmly yet sadistically. Gunn couldn't move, paralysed by the shock, by the thought that Wesley now knew partially everything. "Knox was in contact with the Doctor, but you already know that don't you."

"Yeah," Gunn said as he melted from his frozen posture, "one of my sources-"

"Don't," Wesley interrupted his lie firmly. "What he said, about Fred…about her soul," Wesley said in a low echo as he trained the sight of the shotgun and stepped slowly forward, "is it true?"

Gunn bowed his head unable to speak once again.

"What did you do Charles?"

"It was just a piece of paper…" Gunn said after a few moments silence, "I was losing it, everything they put in my head, everything that made me different…_**special**_. He could fix it, he could make it permanent so I signed a piece of paper, it was a customs release form I didn't think anyone would get hurt."

"Nothing from Wolfram & Hart is ever _free_. And you knew that-"

"I couldn't go back…to being just 'the muscle' I- I didn't think it would be one of us… I didn't think I would be Fred."

"I understand not wanting to go back," Wesley said in that same echoed tone as he stepped closer more, the shotgun still pointed at Charles until they were two steps apart, "not wanting to be who we were, I understand it…and I can forgive it." Wesley turned 90 degrees from Gunn and stepped toward the, now unconscious, doctor's table of operating instruments and placed the Gunn next to a sharp scalpel. "But you knew what was happening to her," Wesley said with his eyes away from Gunn's. "You knew who was responsible and you didn't say anything…**you ****let ****her ****die**…"

Wesley grabbed the scalpel and thrust it into Gunn's torso. Gunn's eyes widened and emptied as the blade entered him, his mouth wretched.

"…**I****'****m**** less ****forgiving ****about ****that**."

"**What ****the**** HELL ****did ****you ****do**?" Angel exclaimed as he grabbed Wesley by his collor and lunged him violently at the wall of his office.

"Angel!" Buffy cried as she and Spike watched from across the office.

"What I had to," Wesley stammered in response to Angel's question.

"Well I don't remember seeing _'__stab __Gunn__' _on the agenda this morning!" Angel said loudly as he shook Wesley.

"I avoided the major arteries he'll probably live," Wesley replied.

"Is that supposed to make it alright?" Angel asked.

"Nothing is alright! **Nothing ****will ****ever ****be**** alright!**"

"We'll get her back, Wes," Angel announced as he loosened his grip on Wesley and his violent and angry expression softened.

"No! We won't her soul…her soul…F-Fred's soul was destroyed resurrecting Illyria," Wesley said exasperated as Angel fully removed his hands and Wesley's feet were back firmly on the expensive carpet.

"Are you sure?" Angel asked with furrowed brow. Wesley nodded.

"W-what about Gunn?" Buffy asked breaking the heavy silence.

"He let the sarcophagus into Wolfram & Hart! What he knew, when he knew it, I doesn't change what happened! He let her die."

"So did we," Spike announced sadly. Angel bowed his head.

"At the Well in England…there was a way to save Fred," Angel began to stammer difficultly, "but only if-"

"If thousands of others died in her place," Spike finished for him.

"As much as I love Fred I couldn't let that happen," Angel announced as he raised his head to see Wesley's burning eyes. "I need you to bury it Wes, everything you've been feeling everybody you wanna' hurt I need you to put it aside and focus on what has to be done."

"Illyria," Wesley whispered.

"We need to stop her before she gets her mojo fully up and running and unleashes all kinds of hell," Buffy said.

"Spike, what did you get out of the Doctor?" Angel asked.

"Screams…various fluids…and a name…_Valahanesh_," Spike said.

The air in the lab seemed to thicken around Willow and Kennedy. Wes and Harmony had left the lab to find the doctor five minutes ago and even after Kennedy saying they should talk nobody had said a word. Instead they both contemplated the flooring tiles; or so it seemed. Both lovers thought of the night Kennedy had left. Kennedy remembered grabbing her suitcase and packing it full of everything that would fit inside it leaving behind only a single glove and scarf. She remembered looking back into her and Willow's shared room and releasing a breath as she shut the door and headed downstairs careful to stay out of sight.  
Willow remembered coming home to the Manor and opening the door to her room. She remembered calling out to Kennedy and getting no answer. To opening the wardrobe and seeing nothing of Kennedy's except a glove and scarf. She remembered finding the note saying only 'sorry' and crawling up into a ball holding herself on Kennedy's side of the bed.

"One of us should say something," Willow said, her eyes still on the floor.

"How've you been?" Kennedy asked timidly.

"Evil, you?" replied Willow bluntly.

"Same old same old. Wait, evil?" Kennedy asked concerned.

"Long story," Willow said with a false laugh and smile.

"One with a good ending I can see," Kennedy said with a glance at Willow's bag of all things magic and more.

Silence again.

"I'm sorry I left like that," Kennedy mustered up the courage to say. Willow felt the sting of tears behind her eyes.

"How did you wind up here?" Willow asked ignoring Kennedy's previous statement.

"Oh I uh…when Cordy left the manor I sorta' hitched a ride out to LA with her and found myself here. After last time, y'know you going all _What__'__s __my __line _amnesia chick, I thought I'd last a week but I dunno', place grows on ya' I guess," Kennedy told.

"I'm glad you're doing well," Willow said.

Silence again.

"You could have called…or sent an email…maybe even invested in letter by carrier pigeon to let us know you were okay," Willow mustered up the courage to say. "We were all pretty worried…especially Andrew."

"Will, I'm-"

"Don't say you're sorry," Willow's voice broke, she tried to cover it with a fake smile but she wasn't fooling anybody, "these past couple months I've lay awake at night replaying conversations we'd had, dreaming about them, but in the dream when you open your mouth to say something the only word I could hear you say was _sorry. _Everything else was just…mimed silence." Tears fell from Willow's eyes to her flushed cheeks.

"Will I- I just couldn't stay there anymore…not when I was feeling like that; I saw a way out and I took it," Kennedy said mirroring Willows' tears.

"Feeling like what?" Willow stammered.

"Like it wasn't me you wanted lying next to you, like you wanted her," Kennedy replied.

"Tara," Willow whispered.

"She was the love your life Will, she _**is **_the love of your life and those are big shoes to fill," Kennedy sniffled.

"**I ****never ****asked!**...I never asked you to fill them. I can make room for both of you in my heart you don't have to take her place when you have your own!" Willow said loudly.

"**I ****didn****'****t ****want ****to**** share ****your ****heart ****with ****her! ****I ****don****'****t ****and**** I**** can****'****t!**" Kennedy replied in vibrancy.

"I can't do this now," Willow said grabbing her bag and making her way to the exit.

"Don't walk away from me baby, please," Kennedy cried. Willow's eyes were the peak of an avalanche of tears; they streamed in rows down her cheeks. She stopped in her stride and uttered, "I'm sorry." She pushed open the lab's double doors and left.

Silence again.

-  
"_Valahanesh_?" Angel asked confused, "what does it mean?"

"It's her temple," Harmony announced as she entered the office carrying an old leather bound book. Her face was still bruised. She lay the book out on Angel's desk and Buffy, Wesley, Angel and Spike huddled around her. They stared at the image within the book. It showed a huge armoured demon with tentacles holding heavy duty swords and weaponry surrounded by thousands of the same demon only smaller in a primeval pillared room.

"That's Illyria?" Buffy asked eyes wide.

"In the prime of her rule yes," Wesley said as he read the text beside the image.

"Good work, Harmony," Angel announced.

"Thanks Bossy," Harmony said with a smile and a bounce as she left the room.

"Guessing this is where blue wanted to be woken up?" Spike asked.

"Yes, this is where she was supposed to be resurrected," Wesley said for those in the room who didn't speak 'Spike'.

"And what are these smaller bits?" Spike asked as he pointed to the smaller demons around Illyria in the picture.

"Her Army of Doom," Wesley read.

"That's original…have they been waiting for her to wake up this whole time?" Buffy asked.

"They were entombed with her waiting for her return, whether they're still there is uncertain," Wesley replied.

"Let me take a guess and say that her temple's in LA somewhere?" Angel asked.

"This is where her temple was millions of years ago and it's still here in Wolfram & Hart," Wesley read more.

"Think I would have seen something like this in the blue prints Wes," Angel said sceptically.

"It's out of faze with our time stream…only Illyria can open the gateway," Wesley said as his eyes finished reading the text.

"So big blue got herself and army," Spike said as if saying it aloud would make it anyless of a threat.

"Does it say anywhere how we stop her?" Buffy asked.

"No," Wesley replied.

"Then we throw everything we got at her."

The door of one of Wolfram & Harts less advertised buildings was torn off of it's hinges and the guard was left beaten and dying. The Practical building of the Special Projects division was a dome like building with cuboid pillars and church like translucent windows. The floor and ceiling was made of marble and it made a thumping noise as Illyria walked delicately yet aggressively across it. "Your breed is weak," she acknowledged with a smile as she glanced down at the bloodied guard, "how is it they came to control this world?" The King demon asked inquisitively.

"Uh…opposable thumbs, fire, television…what they lack in strength they make up for in extreme sneakiness," Knox said as he followed his God further into the centre of the building.

"You are deceivers," Illyria spat with disgust.

"Yes, all of them, they deserve to be punished," Knox said with his own share of disgust.

"They?" Illyria asked with a tilted head as she continued pacing slowly toward the centre, "you do not consider yourself as one of your race?" she asked as she stopped in the precise centre and looked around the room.

"Not anymore," Knox replied; stopping also, "I'm with the king."

Illyria took a stance and readied herself.

"Open the gateway and wash away humanity and reclaim what you dominated millennia ago when the world was-"

"**Be ****silent**," Illyria commanded.

"Right…sorry," Knox apologised with a bow as he backed away.

Illyria outstretched her hand and the atmosphere fizzed and danced with primal energy. She clenched her fingers slowly and the air got tighter and more vibrant until a wash of cold air set the room back to it's previous state and nearly knocking her off balance. Her blue and brown hair blew in the breeze of the blast as she furrowed her brow confusedly. "The Gateway is blocked," she announced.

"I was afraid of that, Wolfram & Hart don't like people messing things up on their turf and probably threw a lock on it," Knox informed.

"The Wolfram, Ram and Hart?" Illyria asked outraged. "In my time they were weak, barely above the vampire," she said in disbelief of what Knox had told her.

"Huh, guess they beefed up," he replied. "Not to worry, I brought my Skeleton Key."

"Skel-et-on Key?" Illyria asked.

Knox pulled four wooden talismans from his bag and set them beneath the four pillars of the central dome of the building. He began a chant and set each talisman alight. They burned with a bright blue flame and after he finished the chant they disappeared as thought turning invisible.

"Showtime," he announced, excitement bursting out of him. Illyria grinned as she raised her arm and outstretched her hand again.

"And I always hate to miss the trailers," Buffy said across the room. Knox and Illyria whirled around to meet the faces of Angel, Spike, Wesley, Buffy, Willow and Kennedy.

"Any seats left?" Spike asked as they descended the stairs slowly. Angel, Spike and Wesley each had silver longswords, Wesley also had two Desert Eagle hand gun's stowed under his brown jacket, Buffy held the Scythe tight to her chest, Willow stayed in the back chanting with candles floating around her casting an eerie glow while Kennedy stayed close to her protectively holding Gunn's favourite axe.

"If not we can just stand in the back," Angel said.


	20. Episode 16: Chapter 4

Buffy the Vampire Slayer  
Season 8 Episode 16  
Illyria  
Chapter 4

"Guys," Knox began, "scan the headlines here…" Illyria made a gesture as if to hiss at the two vampires, the two slayers, the witch and the man. She took a stance while her six challengers took position, "there's no way you can win this."

"Then we all die trying," Wesley replied. Illyria tilted her head in confusion again.

"Why?" she asked.

"You want the short version?" Angel asked, "Let's start with you walking around looking like the woman you murdered."

"You think your actions will restore the shell," Illyria announced.

"No," Angel said. He was standing only a few meters away with Spike and Buffy to his immediate left and right. Kennedy was behind Spike while Wesley was beside Buffy with Willow remaining on the steps of the door continuing to chant.

"And yet you seek a confrontation you cannot win," Illyria said, her brow furrowed.

"What you're trying to do," Buffy started, "raising your army," she stepped forward next to Angel, "innocent people would die." Buffy was within nose touching distance of Illyria.

"You are the protector of these creatures?" Illyria asked.

"Not just me," Buffy replied.

"In my time it was the Slayers purpose to fight the vampires and nothing else. The Shadow Men struck deals that she would not interfere with the superiors and she stuck to that for a long while. But in this time the Slayer seeks battles with beings far greater than the vampire and there is not only one but two?" Illyria asked, her head still tilted.

"A lot more than two," Kennedy called. Illyria smiled. She punched Buffy to the stomach and sent her hurtling across the room into Willow. The Scythe and Willow's candles crashed to the ground moments after Buffy and Willow did.

"Disappointing," Illyria stated. She dodged and deflected attacks from Angel, Spike, Wesley and Kennedy until all of her opponents were on the ground also. She circled the centre of the room and waited for them to regain their stance. They did so in due time, although Buffy had suffered a few fractured ribs from the first blow, she gripped the Scythe even tighter. Illyria addressed Angel now. "And what of you vampire? You're a breed of savage hybrids with no concern for anything other than quenching your thirst by feeding off of the humans…and now you protect them…you would fight for their lives?"

"Yes," Angel replied.

"Even this one?" Illyria asked, turning her head to Knox.

"Is that an Issue? Is my life in peril, Boss?" Knox asked nervously.

"You're about as low as it gets Knox, but you're still a part of humanity. That isn't always pretty, but it's a hell of a lot better than what came before and if it came down to a choice between you and him then yes, I would fight for his life. Just like any other humans because that's what people do," Buffy had missed hearing Angel's speeches on the goodness of humanity, it sent tingles through her body, "that's what makes us-"

Angel was interrupted by the sound of a gunshot that was made louder by the echo in the room. The bullet plummeted into Knox's chest and blood poured out seeping through his shirt. He gurgled with blood before falling to the ground at his Kings' feet. Wesley had taken the shot. Angel turned to him and said "were you even listening?"

"You've destroyed my Kwahasan," Illyria stated with a blank expression.

"Yeah…but you gotta' admit, he had it comin'," Spike added.

"It offends me that you think he matters," Illyria spat angrily.

"You're right, he's not the problem, you are," Angel finished as he lunged with his sword.

Every swing he made only managed to hit the air as Illyria dodged each attack, he'd made a shot for her throat but she grabbed the sword and threw it along with Angel across the room where he landed heavily.  
Spike jumped in swiftly going straight for her head, she ducked and rebounded catching him in the throat with an uppercut that shot him so high his bleach blonde hair collided with the marble ceiling and he dropped to the floor.  
Kennedy threw her axe but it only managed to severe the ends of Illyria's hair, Kennedy then sent kicks after kicks to Illyria's torso and face but she was no match. Illyria grabbed the young slayer by the throat and launched her into a pillar with an ear splitting crack.  
Buffy swung at Illyria with the Scythe but, like Angel, Illyria dodged every blow. Buffy tried every manoeuvre her years as a Slayer had taught her until she managed to cut Illyria's arm with the Scythe. The cut was deep enough that Illyria began to bleed. Confused and angered by this, Illyria grasped the Scythe and pulled it from Buffy's grip. She then grabbed Buffy by the throat, lifted her into the air and made to plummet the wooden spear at the bottom of the Scythe into Buffy's stomach.  
Willow, who had been concentrating on relocking the gateway, abandoned her ritual and made a gesture with her arm that sent Illyria off her feet to the floor. Buffy fell feet first to the floor, grabbed the Scythe and made to cut Illyria in half…instead Buffy got a kick to the face which sent her hurtling back into Willow knocking them both unconscious along with Angel, Spike and Kennedy.  
Illyria sprung to her feet and turned to Wesley who had the two handguns pointed at her. She dodged each bullet and kicked Knox's corpse at Wes which took him off his feet.  
The noise from the gun shots woke Angel and Spike who lunged for Illyria with the swords; she dodged every attack from both sides until both vampires made the same foolish attack allowing Illyria to grasp the tip of both swords like they were made of feathery plastic. She threw the vampires at opposite ends of the dome and their swords along with them. "Unimpressive," she stated calmly.  
Wesley jumped back up and made to shoot a second round of bullets. Before he could get them properly out of his jacket, Illyria had slowed down time. She watched as Spike and Buffy scrambled to their feet in slow motion and smiled at the joy she would have at picking up a sword and just running them through.  
Her senses tingled and she turned around to meet Angels' fist colliding with her face. The punch shot her across the room and stopped her ability to slow the flow of time. She looked to him in anger as she sat on the floor and he towered over her. "How?" she asked angrily.

"From your sarcophagus," Angel boasted as he held up the gem.

"Sneaky," Illyria grinned as she took him off his feet with her leg. She quickly made her way to the centre of the room and outstretched her hand for the third time. The portal opened and shimmered catching everybody's attention as Illyria fazed through it followed closely behind by Wesley. They both disappeared and the room was left still.

"Will, get the portal open," Buffy ordered.

-

Wesley crashed into a primal palace of brimstone and blood. The walls seemed to have veins of stone and the stairs seemed to cry as he watched Illyria ascended them. "You're too late," she announced, "my army will rise, this world will be mine once again," she spoke excitedly. She reached the top of the stairs, ready to address her army only to find rubble, carcases, ash and dust. The miles long temple was destroyed completely. "No," she breathed with pure human sorrow, "my world…it's gone." She fell to her knees and bowed her head. Her hands met the dusty remains of one of her warriors and she squeezed the bronze like bones into a dust. She then watched as the dust fell through her fingers. "My world is gone."

"Now you know how I feel," Wesley said from behind her. She looked at him from the ground with such sadness in the primitive blue of her eyes before disappearing through the portal again.

-

Angel, Spike, Buffy and Willow sat in Angels' office, bloody and bruised. "Well look at the world, not a scorch mark in sight, Hazaar for our side," Spike said sarcastically.

"We need to seal off the gateway to Illyria's temple, **permanently**," Angel said.

"Already done," Willow announced, "you'll get no more surprises coming outa' there. I only wish I coulda' done more for Fred."

"What _are_ we gunna' do with the leather queen?" Spike asked.

"She still has enough juice to be a serious threat," Buffy added.

"So we re-group…and we take care of it," Angel finished.

"I'll be in the lab," Wesley sounded as he made to leave the room.

"Long day," Spike announced as Wesley shut the door behind him. "Is that offer still good? Send me abroad; rogue agent and all?"

"Ya', it's still good," Angel replied.

"You're leaving?" Buffy asked, the concern in her voice sending pangs of pain through Angel.

"I was thinking we could send Gunn, before Wes has another poke," Spike thought aloud.

"You're not leaving?" Angel asked surprised.

"It's what Fred would have wanted, and it's what I want too," Spike said, "its important…what's happening and what you do in this place. Fred gave her life for it, the least I can do is give what's left of mine…the fights comin', we can all feel it and it's gunna' be a hell of a lot bigger than Illyria, things are gunna' get ugly…that's where I live."

"Buffy we should probably get going soon," Willow said.

"I just have one more thing I have to do first and then we'll get going…somehow," Buffy smiled.

"I'll get a jet ready," Angel smiled back.

"Thanks," Buffy and Willow said together.

"Thank you for coming so fast and doing what'cha did," Angel said.

"I wish we could've done more than fall on our asses," Willow smiled.

"Get home safe," Angel smiled as he hugged Willow. Willow released him and walked to Spike.

"Will you uh, give this to Kennedy for me?" Willow asked him as she pulled a folded piece of paper from her pocket.

"Did you miss my speech about how the end is almost on us, pet? Sure you don't want to say whatever's in this little letter of yours to the Girl Wonder in person?" Spike asked.

"I'm sure, it sounds better coming from the ink in the page than it would from my mouth," Willow smiled falsely.

"Alright, just hope she doesn't shoot the messenger," Spike said as he received a hug from Willow that he didn't expect but was glad for.

"So we're good, right?" Angel asked Buffy timidly.

"Yeah we're good, air is cleared and whatnot," Buffy replied. They both stood in awkward silence before embracing each other in a firm passionate hug. "We'll talk soon," she whispered to him. "Of course and thanks again, for everything."

-

Willow and Buffy left Angel's office. Buffy was glad to be leaving on good terms with Angel for once. She still didn't agree with their decision to move to Wolfram & Hart and all the damage that it could and has done, but she was beginning to see the upsides. She just had one more thing left to do. She left Willow in the lobby and headed after Wesley toward the lab.

-

Wesley packed Fred's things into boxes. He did it slowly as if waiting for the moment she'd come back and he'd have less to unpack. He smiled at the Texas shaped plate he'd gotten her a few Christmas's ago before putting it into a padded cardboard box. "You grieve still, for a single life," Illyria sounded from the doorway.

"Why're you here?" Wesley said unable to look at her.

"I…I am uncertain," she replied. "This place," Illyria began as she stepped into Fred's office, "it was part of the shell."

"The woman you murdered had a name," Wesley said angrily.

"This is important to you, that things have names. The shell; Winifred Burkle. She can't return to you."

"Leave," Wesley said calmly.

"I've nowhere to go! My Kingdom is long dead! Long dead…there's so much I don't understand, I'm unsure of my place-"

"Your place is with the rest of your kind, dead and turned to ash!"

"Perhaps, but I exist here. I must learn to walk in this world and for that I'll need your help…Wesley."

"If I were to help you find your way," Wesley started, tears filling and fists clenching, "you have to learn to change. You mustn't kill."

"Yet you killed the Kwahasan," she replied, "in defiance of your leader."

"He murdered the woman I love."

"And that made it just."

"**No!** It wasn't just. I'm probably the last man in the world to teach you what's right."

"But you will. If I abide you will help me?"

"Yes."

"Because I look like her?"

"Yes."

Illyria moved to the window overlooking the lab where her sarcophagus lay in the middle. "We cling to what is gone. Is there anything in this life, this world but grief?"

"There's love," Wesley began as he joined her by the window, "there's hope…for some. There's hope that you'll find something worthy."

"Is that enough?" Illyria asked sincerely. "Is that enough to live on?"

-

Harmony leant against the wall next to the entrance to the lab. Her bruising had finally gone down and she was back to her perky self. Fred's death had obviously affected her…for five seconds. She stopped filing her nails when she heard the 'clipity-clop' of Buffy's boots approaching. "Guess you guys are gunna be on your way now huh?" Harmony asked.

"Yeah I was just looking for Wes-"

"Y'know Buffy, I'm glad we're friends. I mean it's like something from Romeo and Juliet only without the suicide…and the sex," Harmony rambled.

"Friends?" Buffy said, eyebrows arched.

"Of course if I was really drunk y'never know. Especially after Cordelia it's good to see you."

"What happened to Cordy?" Buffy asked.

"Oh…Buffy…I thought you knew," Harmony stammered.

"Knew what?" Buffy asked hurriedly.

"Cordy died. In the hospital. There was this whole thing with the Powers and Angels path a couple months ago. Angel's been a real wreck lately but seeing you has really helped."

Buffy was stunned. Cordelia Chase was dead.

"Anyway, Wes has me guarding the big bad while he puts Fred's things in his office but I guess you can take care of that. See ya," Harmony hopped away.

"B-bye," Buffy said, still in minor paralysis. But she couldn't think about it now. She had to give off a strong front for the conversation/death scene she was about to have. She took in a large gulp of air and pushed on the lab doors. Illyria was circling her sarcophagus with her head tilted in contemplation. Illyria looked to Buffy with the same expression she was just giving her tomb. "Illyria," Buffy began.

"Names…that is my name. In my time names were only awarded to those who had earned them in combat or conquest. Names were fought for and stolen yet now everything has a name. The fact that you so freely speak my name is curious. The shell's name has power and importance. So much so that those around her are offended when I don't use it. A warrior of my rank forced to speak the name of a human for acceptance is ridiculous. The fact that I need acceptance to get what I want rather than taking it is even more so. But the discussion of names is not why you are here," Illyria rambled as she began circling the sarcophagus again. "You reek of the Hellmouth."

"Right," Buffy said a little confused. "I need you tell to me about the Shadow Men."

Illyria stopped still; her head was no longer tilted.

"There are things the written word doesn't tell. Hidden for purpose or greed but hidden all the same," Illyria spoke.

"Can we move on from the cryptic and straight to the part of you helping me?" Buffy asked impatiently and half waiting to be struck in the face. Illyria nodded. "What happened to the shadow men?"

"The Shadow Men are responsible for the creation of your species," Illyria said plainly.

"Humans?" Buffy asked confused.

"The Slayer," Illyria corrected. "They infused the essence of a human with that of my kind and created the first-"

"I'm not hearing anything I don't already know. What happened after The First Slayer was created?" Buffy interrupted. "You said that the Shadow Men made deals with your kind that the Primitive wouldn't interfere with your people and only Slay the vampires. But there's more to it isn't there?"

"When the age of man became a threat to my kind one of us mixed their blood with that of a human in blind panic and so the vampire hybrid infection came to be. My people and yours saw these creatures as abominations to be wiped out and so the Shadow Men created the First of the Slayers. She was told only to exterminate the hybrids. She was never to speak, never to feel, never to breed. Until she journeyed passed the territory of Men, passed the territory of Old Ones to a place where not even my kind would venture. The first Hellmouth. Moons went by and the Slayer had not returned to the Shadow Men. Instead of conquering the land of my enemies my armies were forced to battle the Turok-Han hybrids. My General and one of the Shadow Men tracked the Slayer through the territories to the Hellmouth and found her engaged in speech with a group of pale skinned white haired human women who called themselves the Guardians. They pulled a weapon from the ground that held the true essence of the Earth and gave it to her. They told her to seek battles with my kind and it wasn't long before they were fleeing at the mention of the Slayer," Illyria's lip was curling in disgust and anger at Buffy's very being, "she went against the Shadow Men until finally being struck down when she closed the First Hellmouth only to create more smaller ones as a consequence. The weapon was taken back by the Guardians until a slayer of similar potential came to existence. When my kind had all but fled I went to slumber with the rest of my people; waiting to be resurrected in my temple with my Army to reclaim a world that had seen your kind long dead."

"Sorry to disappoint," Buffy said.

"Whispers in the Well told that the Shadow Men had taken part in the destruction of the First Slayer, that she was worse than the hybrids she was created to destroy."

"She was given Scythe to kill the Old Ones…and she did," Buffy smiled.

"And the weapon was passed to you…tell me, how is it that there is more than one Slayer in this time?"

"I had to um…a-activate all the potential Slayers to defeat the First and close the Hellmouth," Buffy said casually as she took in what actually happened to the First Slayer.

"How?" Illyria asked hurriedly and wide eyed.

"With the Scythe," Buffy replied worried at Illyria's expression.

"I am surprised that they haven't come for you yet. They came for her so quickly…or so the whispers said," Illyria said as she stepped toward Buffy.

"Came for me? Came for Her? Who's coming?" Buffy asked as Illyria got within nose touching distance.

"The Shadow Men," Illyria echoed.


	21. Episode 17: Chapter 1

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Season 8 Episode 17

Little White Lives

Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with Buffy the Vampire Slayer or the Buffyverse, I am just a fan.

Summary: Buffy and Willow return home from LA and give the news about Fred and Cordelia. Buffy tries to mend her relationship with Giles by informing him about the Shadow Men Illyria said were coming. the troops rally and everybody puts their cards on the table including Faith who reveals what she knows and whether she took the Guardians offer. Dawn tries to mend her broken relationship with Chase with the advice of the only person who has ever been through what she was going through: Willow. She also confronts Katie.

* * *

Chapter 1

Buffy and Willow had spent the duration of the journey home composing theories about the Shadow Men and whether Illyria was telling the truth. But why would she lie? What would she to gain from lying? Neither Buffy or Willow knew the answer. They only knew that tomorrow morning was the time to call the scoobies to order and try to figure everything out from the Man in the suit, Amy, the sword Willow and Nicholas stole, the Arena of vampires, Buffy's dream, Faith's dream catcher tattoo and her new-found strange behaviour.

Buffy drifted to sleep on the plane consumed with thoughts of imposing battles and the greater good while Willow was consumed with feelings of dread and grief. Grief for Fred and grief for Cordelia. She worried about how Xander would take it after just getting his confidence back with Julie and becoming his old self again those past few months. She worried the news would destroy and cripple him but she knew that keeping it to herself would never work. He'd find out and even a friendship like Xanders' and Willows' couldn't survive such a betrayal.

They arrived back in Cleveland a couple hours after sunset and Willow turned her key in the Manor door. She pushed it open and was met by the awkward staring and silence of the entrance hall filled with 40+ teenage girls. Buffy had forgotten that Monday mornings equalled school. She shut the door behind Willow and pretended like the girls weren't even there. Instead she scanned the crowd of onlookers and found the faces of Dawn, Xander, Giles and Nicholas. Dawn got up from her seat at the dinner table, abandoning her carefully prepared waffles from Andrew and embraced her sister and Willow. "You're okay," Dawn stated as she released Buffy. The quiet sentence was made louder by the deafening silence of the newbie slayers.

"We're fine," Willow answered for Buffy who was clearly in pain from Dawn hitting her ribs.

"Well what happened…is Fred?" Dawn stammered. Buffy had forgotten that most of the girls in the entrance hall had all known Fred from their time spent in the Hyperion in L.A and would all be concerned. The two had tried to leave for L.A discreetly but word had obviously gotten around.

Buffy shook her head and darted her eyes to the ground. Willow did the same. Dawn's hands clasped her mouth and the teenage onlookers released a breath as they took the news…Fred was dead. The silence was welcomed now as people didn't want to utter a word.  
The Manor door suddenly swung open and slammed shut as Faith exploded loudly into the room. She dropped her weapons on the ground unaware of the noise she was generating in the silent room and threw her, now ripped, bloodied and dusty, denim jacket to the couch. "Damn vamps are getting tougher I'm tellin' ya'," Faith said to herself. She looked up and met the leering gaze of the room. "What's with the doom and gloom?" Faith asked turning to Buffy. "Is Fred…?" Buffy shook her head again. "Oh," Faith responded. Everybody's eyes darted to the ground again.

"Look you guys," Buffy started as she moved to stand in the centre of the room. The girls that weren't in the entrance hall to begin with had gathered over the first floor landing accompanied by Vi, Rona, Simone, Andrea, Alicia and Kate and received the news. Buffy addressed them all and continued, "I know when you guys signed on to be trained you didn't expect to be burying bodies every other week. I'm sorry this has happened, I'm sorry for Alex, Bethany and Joy, for Wood, for Ana-Lucia and for Fred. You guys came here to learn, not to grieve. I just want to say thank you for all the work you've all put in with patrols while we've dealt with the losses. I know a lot of you have school in a little while so I won't keep you but be proud of yourselves and remember what we're fighting for. If not for yourselves, then for those who gave their lives for this better future we're trying to create."

"Now get to school," Faith said after a minute or so of Buffy's speech, "bus is outside."

* * *

As the girls finished their toast and orange juice, got their bags and coats and headed for the bus, Buffy gave the signal to Xander, Nicholas, Giles, Faith and Willow to follow her through the old closed door to the library. Just as Willow was about to enter the corridor, Dawn grabbed her by the arm. "Dawnie you're gunn'a be late," Willow tried to say casually. She and Buffy had already agreed to keep Dawn out of what was going on as much as possible.

"I know but I need your help with something," Dawn pleaded.

"You coming Tabitha?" Nicholas asked tantalisingly.

"Dawn I have to go," Willow said turning back to Dawn.

"It's about Chase," Dawn said. Willow looked at her and breathed out. After her fiasco with Kennedy back in L.A, Willow questioned whether her help would be any good.

"Tell Buffy to start without me," Willow called back to Nicholas.

Dawn lead Willow to the couch and they both sat down. Willow could see the panic and worry in Dawns' eyes and her concern grew more noticeable as her eyebrows narrowed. "Am I really the best person to talk to about men?" Willow asked.

"You're the only one who can help me," Dawn replied.

"Well…what do you need me to do?" Willow asked.

"Help me!" Dawn said loudly, her patience reaching its end as she heard the bus pull away in the drive.

"With what?" Willow asked; eyes wide at Dawns' panic.

"Tonight's the first night of the three fazes of the full moon since Chase was…y'know," Dawn started. Willow felt like grabbing the letter opener that lay next to the telephone and running herself through with it at that point. She had completely forgotten about Dawn's boyfriend Chase becoming a werewolf and understood exactly what Dawn was going through. Willow had done it all before with Oz and was mortified that she could have forgotten about what Dawn was dealing with.

"Dawnie I'm so sorry I haven't been there to help you with any of this," Willow said sincerely.

"It's fine," Dawn said falsely, "I get that you guys are busy but with today being…y'know today I just don't know what to do."

"You've talked to him about it though right?" Willow asked.

"That conversation got to me coming right out with '_You're a werewolf'_and him running off and not speaking to me for three weeks," Dawn replied. "The thing is it's not only him, Katie's still completely oblivious about what happened at the party and what she is and I can't leave them to change tonight…what if somebody gets hurt?" Dawn asked, her eyes filling up.

"Nobodies gonna' get hurt tonight I promise you," Willow replied grabbing Dawn's face in her hands.

"What do I do? He won't even look at me," as she said this, Dawn completely broke down.

"Listen to me," Willow asserted, "right now you're gunna go to school and keep an eye on them. Do your best to keep them out of the cafeteria and anywhere with food and try to convince them to come back here tonight," Willow advised.

"What're we gunna do when they get here, I remember what Oz was like as soon as the sunset and-"

"Let me worry about that, just try to get them back here," Willow interrupted her.

"What if they won't listen to me?" Dawn dried her eyes and composed herself.

"Do the talking thing or-or make something up?" Willow suggested sheepishly.

"Okay," Dawn agreed nodding her head convincing herself all she had to do was walk up to him.

* * *

Dawn left Willow on the couch and headed to school to a day that could turn out to be worse than when Tommy Gilligan put red paint in her hair in 2nd grade and the teacher thought she'd been bludgeoned to a pulp. Willow breathed out heavily and dropped her head in her hands. "_How did we get here?_" she thought to herself silently as she heard the iron gates grind to a close down the drive of the private estate.  
Willow knew her day was only going to get worse, she would have to tell Xander about Cordelia, Buffy was going to have to try and mend her relationship with Giles and the meeting she was missing out on would no doubt scare her into heading for the hills if what was coming turned out to be _a big bad._

Realising she couldn't hide forever, she picked herself up, wiped the flame orange hair from her face and made her way through the old closed door to the library. She pushed on the door and found everybody in a huddle around a centre table cluttered with books and volumes of all things bump in the night. Giles leant against the bookcase in a grey worn jumper with a cup of tea while everybody else stood tensely with their arms tucked in pockets or folded.

Buffy had just finished her audio reenactment of what happened with Illyria in the Special Projects building and in _Valahanesh_. The face of those hearing the story were conflicted, relieved that the great God-King Illyria was, for now, without an army but grievous that they had lost a friend. Willow could relate. Buffy went on, "…so we said our goodbyes and after what Fre-**Illyria**," Buffy corrected herself, "had said about the Shadow Men…something just clicked, about everything that's happened this past year while we've been in this place, since the Hellmouth."

"What I miss?" Willow whispered quietly as she stood next to Xander.

"Not much, stuff you probably already know," Xander replied.

"I didn't know how it's connected, still don't, but I know it is," Buffy went on, "I went to see Illyria. After **a lot **of cryptic she told me about how the Primitive died and that-that the Shadow Men played a part in it." Buffy turned to Giles now and spoke to him only, but loudly so that everybody heard, since she'd left for L.A, "they're coming Giles. Because of the spell we did on the potentials, like the First Slayer came after the joining spell, it's like the messages have been saying, somebody is coming and now we know who."

"But you can't be sure," Giles replied.

"I couldn't be anymore sure," Buffy said confused with a narrowed brow.

"Buffy, it goes against everything we believe in, everything the council believes in. The Shadow Men started the protection of humanity by creating the First Slayer, it can't possibly be them," Giles said in disbelief.

"But-"

"Although, if the are 'coming'," Giles said the word in insulting finger quote marks, "it can't be for anything bad."

"How can you be so small minded?" Buffy asked rhetorically.

"Small minded?" Giles replied angrily. Buffy knew it was happening again, just like last time, she'd take charge because somebody had to and everybody would disagree with her, they'd kick her out and she'd have to swoop in at the last minute and save everybody. Except she didn't know if she had the emotional strength to come back again this time.

"Let's not turn this into clash of the titans," Xander stood in, "nothings for definite this is just a group of friends putting their heads together and trying to figure out what terrible thing is going to try to kill them all again."

"What I don't understand is that in every message we've received whether it be from a dream of not is that, _somebody_ more commonly reffered to as _him_, is coming and _she_ won't be here fast enough. Who's the _she _in the equation?" Nicholas inquired.

"I don't know," Buffy admitted dropping her head.

Faith's body began to twitch as she was the only one in the room who now had all the pieces of the puzzle, some of the pieces had jagged edges that she could easily smoothen out with a scoobies style research montage, but all the pieces were there. Her instincts told her to say nothing. If they knew what she had learned from the Gauntlet, about who '_she'_ was and what '_she' _had to do with her, Faith worried how they'd react. Like Buffy, she too feared that a Slayer might be evicted tonight. Whether it was to be one or both remained to be seen.

"So you admit that you can't be completely sure about what's threatening us? There are a lot of powerful demons that would be angry about the spell we did; maybe it's one of them," Giles suggested hurriedly and harshly.

"And maybe it's not!" Buffy exclaimed back at him. Silence filled the room as the Watcher and his Slayer fought a battle with each other through the intensity of their gaze. Faith, Willow, Xander and Nicholas bowed their heads and contemplated the flooring of the Manor's library in a failed attempt to become an unseen wallflower.

"Backing up," Xander said stepping in again, "these Shadow Men guys made the First Slayer thousands of thousands of years ago right? And the tips kinda' in their name, Shadow **Men**, shouldn't they be dead by now?" Xander asked. Xander looked at the comprehensive expressions on everybody's face which also emitted confusion. "_Yeah, be stumped by the logic of Xander_," he thought to himself.

"Obviously extensive research is going to have to be done," Giles said outright.

"You and I both know Mr. Giles that anything you find on these men won't be anything you don't already know," Nicholas chimed in.

"Nicks right, we're tapped out," Buffy exhaled heavily.

"Maybe not," Xander added. He grabbed a pen and a bunch of sticky notes from a countertop and dropped them on the table, everybody huddled around. "What happened first?" Xander asked.

"The Old Ones," Nicholas added proudly.

"No not in general, with us since Sunnydale," Xander corrected. Nicholas stepped back.

"We moved into the manor," Buffy suggested. Xander wrote _Manor_ on one sticky note and stuck it to the table.

"Then?" he asked.

"Uh, there was Rona and Amalia in the cemetery, the night we lost eight girls to that guy in the suit," Faith put forward.

"And the dreamcatcher tattoo," Buffy added.

"Next?" Xander went on as he scribbled everything down in a timeline on the table.

"Erm, Willow and Hecate and Osiris," Giles said as he cleaned his glasses.

"The Sunlight resistant vampires," Nicholas said.

Xanders' timeline stretched across the table from the point of the scoobies move to the Manor to Buffy and Willow returning from L.A just half an hour ago. "Now what?" Nick asked.

"Well, look for anything that doesn't make sense, if Buff's right then all of this should be connected somehow," Xander said.

"The sword," Willow and Nicholas both said together, "The one we got from Amy and the guy in the suit," Willow went on.

"What about it?" Buffy asked.

"Exactly, we don't know anything about it no matter how much research Mr. Giles and I conduct," Nick explained.

"They went to a lot of trouble to get it and protect it," Willow said remembering Nicholas being thrown into a shard of glass from a smashed mirror and impaling himself.

"He was the first to mention the fact that somebody's coming to Faith and me," Buffy added. She turned to Faith, "guess it's time we go back to that arena."

"R-right," Faith said nervously; still holding her cards close to her chest.

"You guys can't go by yourselves, Faith said it was crawling with vamps," Xander warned.

"We'll pick up Chris from the Warehouse and take whatever of the new recruits from upstairs that aren't in school," Buffy said, "we'll be fine," she reassured him.

"And what if that doesn't work?" Giles jibed.

"I'll make a few discreet phone calls to Wolfram & Hart and try to contact the senior partners," Nick offered.

"I'll hit the local dive demon bars and see what I can bribe out of a few of the patriots," Xander added too.

"I suppose the coven might know something we don't," Giles said quietly feeling defeated.

"Good, you guys this is good, everybody get on that. We can't let anything else distract us now that we're so close to figuring all of this out," Buffy smiled.

The scoobies scattered all around the Manor and the city. Xander grabbed his coat and headed straight downtown to the Cleveland undercity, Buffy asked Faith to grab the sword from the basement, Giles headed to his office to contact the coven in England until finally all who was left in the library was Buffy and Willow. "Will I hate to ask," Buffy began weary.

"What?" Willow asked.

"Maybe Hecate or Osiris know something?" Buffy thought aloud. Willow's eyes widened. The memory of being thrown across purgatory by what looked like her dead girlfriend and werewolf ex-boyfriend and being dragged through time forced to see what she wished she'd never set eyes on. Kakistos raping Faith's watcher came to mind and to nightmares.

"Buff I- I don't know about this. I mean I wouldn't have the first clue how to contact them and for good reason," Willow stammered.

"I know its scary Will but we have to try everything," Buffy pleaded.

"I can't Buffy, I'm sorry," Willow replied. Buffy nodded disappointedly. "I uh, I gotta run, I need to get supplies for Dawn from the Magic Box."

"Dawn? W-what about Dawn?" Buffy asked frantically, her concerned sister face becoming apparent.

"Don't freak out," Willow said.

"Y'know saying don't freak out tends to make the other person do exactly that," Buffy gave a weak laugh and smiled falsely.

"Tonight's the first night of the three stages of the full moon," Willow announced timidly.

"So?" Buffy asked confused. Buffy reaction made Willow feel a little better about herself. Even Buffy had forgotten all about Dawn and Chase in the midst of the impending doom.

"Y'know, Dawn's boyfriend, Chase-"

"Oh my god I'm an awful person. I'm an awful sister. I'm an awful parent," Buffy said, her eyes fixated on Willow's as Buffy realised what was happening.

"I forgot too, she came to me about it before she left for school and I said I'd do everything I can," Willow explained.

"Which is?" Buffy asked.

"Hopefully somebody at the Magic Box can help me out with that," Willow said. Even though Oz was a werewolf and she a witch, she didn't know much about the magic behind the whole thing.

"Well what can I do?" Buffy asked.

"At the most? Stay by your phone tonight and try to get the girls out on patrol or something. I told Dawn to try to get Chase and Katie back here tonight so they can make the change here and we could lock 'em up but if that doesn't work out we might need some good old fashioned Slayer smash and crash," Willow advised.

"And in the meantime?" Buffy worried.

"Go and figure all this stuff out with the Shadow Men. I can handle this," Willow reassured her.

"R-right," Buffy agreed before leaving Willow alone in the library to find Faith.


End file.
